A patent infringement case brought against the University of Phoenix and its parent company, Apollo Group, was dismissed this month by the U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Va.
Digital-Vending Services International asserted in a March 2008 suit that the underlying design of courseware management software at Phoenix and two other for-profit online colleges, Walden University and Capella Education Company, violated three patents held by members of the nonprofit Community and Learning Information Network, represented by Digital-Vending Services.
Walden and its parent company, Laureate Education Inc., and Capella earlier settled separately with Digital-Vending Services, which is based in Washington and whose member network includes patent holders with ties to the education, defense, aerospace, and software industries.
The court said in dismissing the suit against Phoenix that Digital-Vending Services “failed to point to admissible evidence that could support a finding of infringement.”
3 Responses to Patent Lawsuit Against U. of Phoenix Is Dismissed
jemale - January 28, 2011 at 9:39 am
UOP did the right thing by going ahead to pursue the case to its logical conclusion. Anything less would have added more ammunitions to the arsenal of distractors of for profit
institutions. John Emale
pigpen892 - January 28, 2011 at 11:14 am
“More ammunitions [sic] to the arsenal of distractors”? A close look at most for-profit education vendors provides arsenal enough to lead a reasonably intelligent person to question their motives, as well as their methods of marketing, selling, and enticing students to enroll in their courses, which typically lock students into debt that is difficult, if not impossible, to justify. Google “student debt” and “for-profit colleges” if you doubt this is true.
petergoyer - January 28, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I have an intimate familiarity with the University of Phoenix, American InterContinental University, Capella, and quite a few brick and mortar colleges that also offer online courses. I am employed right now at exactly the wages I do because of my education, skills, prior work experience, and persistence. I do have student loan debt, and a lot it comes from my Brick and Mortar (place bound) in class education. I have a responsibility to pay it all back.
Your argument applies to all student loans, and I do get tired of individuals bashing for-profit institutions without providing all of the facts. I do not know what your exact experience with for-profit education is, without speculation. Many colleges are offering online classes for working individuals whom cannot take time off to attend school.
I applaud the single mothers, families working three jobs and attending online schools and taking care of small children, My three daughters are taking online and in class college courses, and would not be able to spend quality time with new family members without UoPhx and the others. Online school is tough, takes a special person that is dedicated and committed to their own education. I make more money because of my education, and not in spite of it.
Google-ing student loan does not provide an insight into why and how those individuals have debt they cannot pay down. The student I feel sorry for are the hundreds of Law degree graduates that cannot pay their student loans, because there are not enough positions. Feel like Don Quixote? Tilt that windmill.