Mobile Codes Consortium (MC2) Presentation

The goal of The Mobile Codes Consortium (MC2) is to create a consortium for a new mobile marketing ecosystem based around camera phones and 2D barcodes. A market-driven, open-standards approach will allow 2D barcodes to act as a catalyst in mobile internet adoption, mirroring the growth of web adoption over the last ten years. We invite others to join us on our mission to advance the widespread adoption of mobile codes, through the formation of the MC2. We are interested to hear from companies who share our core goals: to create standards to ensure interoperability, to ensure a business framework for profitable growth, and to encourage and educate the market in general.

Mobalis Powers Compilation 2007 With qode®

NeoMedia's patented qode® technology, which links users via cell phones to the Mobile Internet, will be used by Mobalis and Modelo Light to power The Annual compilation 2007 on the Warner Music label.

The six disc limited edition box set is a stellar collection of 100 of the biggest club and electronic hits ripping up the Latin American airwaves over the last year. House, Progressive, Techno-Trance, Pop, Dance, Electro Beats, Tribal, and Latin Beats are the delicious flavors tasted in this unique compilation.

Within each box set is a special card insert, inviting users to download qode onto their cell phone and click on the interactive 2D code to access mobile web content, such as free wallpapers, video clips, and music samples. Users may also enter the keyword "ML" into their qode®window for similar connection.

Based in Monterrey, Mobalis offers mobile marketing implementation for large-scale events including sporting shows and concerts. Mobalis, a multimedia mobile marketing agency and one of NeoMedia's co-marketing partners in Latin America, offering a "one-stop shop" complete mobile solution for the Mexican market, is responsible for the interactive qode initiative for The Annual Compilation 2007.

NeoMedia To Co-Market qode® With Mobalis

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in mobile enterprise and marketing technology, said today that it has signed a co-marketing agreement with Mobalis, a mobile marketing agency and its partner in Latin America.

Based in Monterrey, Mobalis offers mobile marketing implementation for large-scale events including sporting shows and concerts, and has previously partnered with NeoMedia to develop and implement wireless programs. In its role in the co-marketing agreement, NeoMedia will enable camera phones with its patented qode® technology during REVENTOUR, a traveling music festival which visits 20 cities throughout Mexico from June through November. Attendance at REVENTOUR is estimated to be in excess of 200,000 participants.

Mobalis is implementing optically initiated mobile codes on marketing and promotional materials at all REVENTOUR events. The qode® interactive experience invites attendees to "click" on a code and earn points that can be redeemed for prizes, as well as enter a drawing for an X-Box video game console and other prizes.

"Mobalis is a global leader in mobile marketing, and is on the forefront of cutting edge applications for marketing well known brands," said William J. Hoffman, NeoMedia's CEO. "Our partnership with Mobalis and participation in REVENTOUR will include use of interactive 2D codes, which will be fully integrated with marketing efforts, stimulating and facilitating direct interaction between consumers and the brands' management."

"In testing and launch this program, we have been impressed by how the Mexican community is reacting to the use of 2D code technology at REVENTOUR," said, Felipe Fadon, CEO of Mobalis. "Moving forward, Mobalis is confident that the mobile technology provided by NeoMedia, will increase interaction with our audience."

EFF Denied 2nd Request For Reexamination

U.S. Patent Office again upholds NeoMedia's mobile patents.

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated transactions for mobile devices, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected an application to invalidate its patents and intellectual property on how camera phones read, translate, and process images and codes.

The challenge by the Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) was its second unsuccessful attempt to dislodge NeoMedia's patents which cover how camera phones read and process symbols, images, UPC codes, and RFID signatures through wireless networks. NeoMedia's patented process allows wireless operators to leverage camera phones to further monetize their networks as they provide new methods for consumers, businesses, advertisers and brands to use wireless technology.

"NeoMedia is once again very pleased with the decision of the U.S. Patent Office, and will continue to drive for use of mobile code technology that achieves mass global adoption of optically initiated wireless transactions on wireless networks," said William J. Hoffman Jr., the company's CEO.

"NeoMedia," he said, "is continuing to work with any and all participants in the wireless ecosystem in an effort to create a standardized global infrastructure that enables the broadest possible acceptance of mobile codes in all forms of commerce. By focusing on infrastructure that processes the transactions that drive this form of m-commerce," Mr. Hoffman said, "NeoMedia believes it can best monetize and propagate the technology embodied in our IP to the benefit of the entire global wireless value chain."

NeoMedia Technologies, is the global leader in camera initiated transactions for mobile devices. From RFID and optically initiated wireless transactions to the digital processing of mobile financial transactions, NeoMedia provides reliable high-volume solutions for the processing of universal optical codes and related information for mobile devices. To learn more about qode® and NeoMedia Technologies, please visit their home pages.

Click here to view the rejected patent reexamination request.

EFF Denied Request For Patent Reexamination

Ever since 2004, when the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) went public with their Patent Busting Project, they have had their sights set on technology innovator NeoMedia Technologies.

The primary goal of the EFF was to bust NeoMedia's patent #6,199,048.

According to the United States Patent office, the abstract of NeoMedia's patent states:

"A system and method for using identification codes found on ordinary articles of commerce to access remote computers on a network. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a computer is provided having a database that relates Uniform Product Code ("UPC") numbers to Internet network addresses (or "URLs"). To access an Internet resource relating to a particular product, a user enters the product's UPC symbol manually, by swiping a bar code reader over the UPC symbol, or via other suitable input means. The database retrieves the URL corresponding to the UPC code. This location information is then used to access the desired resource."

After 3 years of gathering data, and asking for help to debunk NeoMedia's patent, The EFF issued a press release on April 24, 2007 libelously titled, "EFF Challenges Bogus Patent Threatening Consumer Awareness Products."

In their boisterous press release, the EFF stated, "NeoMedia Technologies claims to own rights to all systems that provide information over computer networks using database-like lookup procedures that rely on scanned inputs, such as a barcode. NeoMedia has used these claims to threaten and sue innovators in the mobile information space."

While litigation is not the preferred choice of patent owner NeoMedia Technologies, who would much rather license their intellectual property portfolio, the company has successfully won legal battles against industry giant Virgin Entertainment, AirClic, and LScan. NeoMedia is currently engaged in a Markman Hearing with current patent infringer Scanbuy.

In a statement from NeoMedia Technologies regarding the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s request for patent reexamination by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the company stated, "NeoMedia has reviewed the reexamination request from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and finds it to be without merit. We firmly believe that the patent is valid and will be upheld by the U.S. Patent Office, and that the reexamination request will be denied. We respect the justice system and prefer to see this played out in a court of law, as opposed to in the press."

In addition to the EFF, Scott Shaffer, who is the author of the Pondering Primate blog, has also been leading the charge against global leader and technology innovator NeoMedia, and their extensive patent portfolio.

According to Scott Shaffer, "The EFF patent review could even further change the picture. What happens if the US Patent office agrees to review their patents? Do you think any judge will try a case knowing a higher court is reviewing these patents?"

What is painfully clear in all of this, is the fact that Scott Shaffer and the EFF have ulterior motives. I have never seen a respectable lawyer use the word “bogus” in a press release. That type of language is libelous. The EFF’s whole agenda is inflammatory and attempts to distort their true motives. Truth be told, they have intentionally left out Virgin Entertainment consistently since 2004, because it is clear that a multi-billion dollar company (that ended up settling and licensing NeoMedia's patents) doesn’t fit the story they are fabricating about NeoMedia only going after small companies.

On July 6, 2007 vindication was rightfully awarded to NeoMedia as the United States Patent and Trademark Office justifiably denied the EFF's patent reexamination request, further strengthening and re-confirming the validity of NeoMedia Technologies' patents.

Click here to view the rejected patent reexamination request.

Deutsche Telekom Joins Mobile Codes Consortium

Pressure continues to mount for industry standards as telecom giant Deutsche Telekom joins the Mobile Codes Consortium (MC2) – a cross-company group setup to promote unified standards in camera cell-phone barcode reading technology. They join the original founding members Gavitec, Hewlett-Packard, NeoMedia Technologies and Publicis Groupe, to form MC2’s steering group, which will be responsible for guiding the new organization.

Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading telecommunications companies represented in 50 countries around the globe. As a unit of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile International is one of the world's leading mobile communications providers, with more than 100 million customers in Europe and the United States. They follow industry leaders Nokia, KPN and Telefónica O2 Europe who joined the Mobile Codes Consortium last month.

MC2’s aim is to accelerate the adoption of code-reading technologies that will enable users of mobile camera-phones pointed at a printed or displayed 2D barcode, to activate the phone to connect to a particular web-page, download coupons or other digital mediums, make a phone call or send a text message at the click of a button. Based on the widespread adoption of this technology in Japan and the growing popularity of camera-phones in Asia, Europe, and North America, the Mobile Codes Consortium believes that this will have many important applications for both the marketing and public communications industries.

The newly created steering group will now focus on the best approach to enable MC2 to press for widely accepted industry standards. In the first instance, this will mean guiding it until it can join an existing mobile industry body, where the group will be better able to meet its objectives of recommending business models, technology standards, and methods of making mobile code technology useful to the public and to the marketing industry.