ENS Takes Legal Action Against Unstoppable Domains’ Blockchain Naming Patent
Hongji Feng
Updated on:
May 3, 2024 06:02 EDT
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1 min read
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) has filed a petition with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in order to challenge a blockchain naming patent held by Unstoppable Domains (UD).
In a series of social media posts, ENS claimed that UD obtained a patent for an open-source technology developed by ENS Labs. ENS has now officially petitioned to challenge the validity of the patent.
ENS Accuses UD of Intellectual Property Theft
According to the posts, UD’s patent was titled “Resolving Blockchain Domains.” ENS stated that UD patented its technology by “directly leveraging our open-source innovations.”
“This isn’t flattery — it’s theft,” the posts read. “We have to fight this to ensure that ENS remains unrestricted for all.”
The posts indicated that ENS’s contributions were acknowledged in Unstoppable Domains’ patent application. ENS noted that the USPTO initially rejected the patent citing prior art that included work outside of ENS’s contributions.
“ENS thrives on decentralization and public benefit, features we believe the UD patent threatens to distort or destroy,” the posts read. “Our legal position is rooted in our belief that core web functions must stay free for all, not fenced by patents.”
The company sent letters to UD to address the issue, but the posts indicated that UD rejected the requests and refused to cooperate.
“We gave UD every opportunity to avoid this battle: UD refused to open-source the patent and refused to make any irrevocable pledges not to use the patent to the detriment of the community,” said ENS.
UD’s Other Patent Filings
The posts stated that UD’s pursuit of a patent represented a significant departure from the communal ethos of web3 and the open internet. They expressed concern that this move towards privatization contradicted the foundational principles of public accessibility and transparency.
According to ENS, UD has also filed applications to claim the invention of other basic technologies.
“The community should know that this patent is not unique. Behind the scenes, UD filed for at least 9 other patents, for basic tech like accessing data on a blockchain, cross-chain app access, and data resolution using domains,” said ENS.
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