Startups and IP Strategy

In part 1 of this week’s Startup Patent Report, we looked at newly issued patents from Convey Computer, Ekinops, Kingsisle Entertainment, Better Place and Avalanche Technology. Part 2 examines several additional interesting patents issued this week:

Kosmix

Kosmix was a provider of a social network that allowed users to browse the Internet by topics.  The company was acquired by Wal-Mart almost a year ago for a reported 300 million.  The company now operates as Wal-Mart Labs and has received its third U.S. patent.  U.S. Patent No. 8,122,360 is directed to providing a feed of related content to a user based on the user’s browsing history.  Follow Wal-Mart labs on Twitter: @walmartlabs.

One of the inventors listed on the patent, Venky Harinarayan, is head of Wal-Mart Labs.  Follow him on Twitter: @venky13

Caustic Graphics

Caustic Graphics, founded in 2007, is a 3D computer graphics company that offers a massively accelerated ray tracing system.  The company received its sixth U.S. patent, No. 8,120,609 directed to a system for ray tracing a scene.  The company was founded in 2007 and has received 2.71 million in debt funding. Follow Caustic Graphics on Twitter: @causticgraphics

DesignIn

DesignIn is a company founded in 2007 that is developing a collaborative marketplace for home design and decorating products.  The company has received its second U.S. patent, No. 8,122,370, directed to creating visual bookmarks for home design products.

Kryptiq

Kryptiq, a ten year old company with 90 employees, received its fifth U.S. patent, No. 8,122,252.  The patent is directed to cascaded digital signatures for digital contracts.  Kryptiq connects doctors to one another and to patients through a collaborative network.