A SMALL Melbourne technology firm is preparing to renew its David and Goliath fight against multibillion-dollar software giant Oracle for alleged patent infringement.
Oracle could face a massive damages payout to local database software developer Financial Services Technology (FST), and its Perth-based intellectual property assertion firm ipernica, after the technology giant failed in its bid to have the US Patent and Trademark Office invalidate patents reissued to FST.
Ipernica will now launch a patent infringement case on behalf of FST against Oracle, in a bid to snare a slice of its database software sales revenues, which exceeded $US5 billion ($6 billion) last financial year.
"We're looking at those sort of sales over a number of years and industry royalty rates of around 2 per cent to 4 per cent of those sales," ipernica managing director Graham Griffiths said.
He admitted the company had a David and Goliath fight on its hands. "It's a typical example of Australian intellectual property wandering offshore, and that dilutes the value of the company and the chances of larger companies picking it up and using the technology. "We're keen to ensure Australian technology is protected on the world stage."
Ipernica recently reached a $30 million settlement with a group of IT giants, including Cisco and Alcatel-Lucent
IPR Price at posting:
10.0¢ Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
