<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/tech/" rel="tag">Technology</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/gm/" rel="tag">GM</a></p><a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20090916/AUTO01/909160321/1148/AUTO01/Ford+vies+for+Sync+patents"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ford_sync.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
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At first, Ford's SYNC wasn't much more than a way for drivers to access music on their MP3 players through their car's radio. But SYNC grew up and, in its <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/08/ces-2009-microsoft-ford-update-sync/">last update</a>, gained the ability to summon help in an emergency, access navigation and information services and, basically, match GM's OnStar.<br />
<br />
Ford had Joseph Berry to thank for that. Past tense. Had. Back in July, Ford reportedly terminated Berry without getting him to sign over several key SYNC patents. Berry says the patents are based on ideas he came up with before joining Ford and therefore belong to him. But, he says, he'll be happy to license them to his former employer. Ford basically says, "No comment."<br />
<br />
The patents are directly related technologies that allow SYNC to use mobile phones to access data such as weather and real-time traffic information. Berry says he's currently in talks with "several automakers" and the head of GM's OnStar division will only say that they "know who Joe Berry is."<br />
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Should Ford SYNC users be concerned about losing service? Probably not. It seems likely that as soon as Berry and all the lawyers get their cut, everything ought to be back to normal at Ford HQ.<br />
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[Source: <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20090916/AUTO01/909160321/1148/AUTO01/Ford+vies+for+Sync+patents">Detroit News</a>]<br /><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/17/report-ford-could-have-problems-with-sync-patents/">REPORT: Ford could have problems with SYNC patents</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.detnews.com/article/20090916/AUTO01/909160321/1148/AUTO01/Ford+vies+for+Sync+patents>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/17/report-ford-could-have-problems-with-sync-patents/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19164998/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/17/report-ford-could-have-problems-with-sync-patents/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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<br />
At first, Ford's SYNC wasn't much more than a way for drivers to access music on their MP3 players through their car's radio. But SYNC grew up and, in its <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/08/ces-2009-microsoft-ford-update-sync/">last update</a>, gained the ability to summon help in an emergency, access navigation and information services and, basically, match GM's OnStar.<br />
<br />
Ford had Joseph Berry to thank for that. Past tense. Had. Back in July, Ford reportedly terminated Berry without getting him to sign over several key SYNC patents. Berry says the patents are based on ideas he came up with before joining Ford and therefore belong to him. But, he says, he'll be happy to license them to his former employer. Ford basically says, "No comment."<br />
<br />
The patents are directly related technologies that allow SYNC to use mobile phones to access data such as weather and real-time traffic information. Berry says he's currently in talks with "several automakers" and the head of GM's OnStar division will only say that they "know who Joe Berry is."<br />
<br />
Should Ford SYNC users be concerned about losing service? Probably not. It seems likely that as soon as Berry and all the lawyers get their cut, everything ought to be back to normal at Ford HQ.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20090916/AUTO01/909160321/1148/AUTO01/Ford+vies+for+Sync+patents">Detroit News</a>]<br /><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/17/report-ford-could-have-problems-with-sync-patents/">REPORT: Ford could have problems with SYNC patents</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.detnews.com/article/20090916/AUTO01/909160321/1148/AUTO01/Ford+vies+for+Sync+patents>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/17/report-ford-could-have-problems-with-sync-patents/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19164998/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/17/report-ford-could-have-problems-with-sync-patents/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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