This week’s report is a follow-up to last week’s report on Durham Logistics, LLC. While last week’s report dealt with Durham Logistic’s smart phone motion-awareness patents, this week’s report focusrd instead on a slice of their patent portfolio that concerns “airplane mode” functionality in a mobile device.

Durham Logistics, LLC currently possesses intellectual property concerning “airplane mode” functions in smart phones that describe a method and apparatus for disabling the communication functionality of a device while maintaining access to the device’s local functionality. While it is not transparent to the market what commercial intent Durham Logistics, LLC has for these patents, it is reasonable to assume that they will pursue sales or licensing models. Entities interested in Durham Logistics, LLC’s holdings would likely also be interested in similar innovations that lie in the public domain, some of which are listed in the full report.

Some technologies readily integrate into consumer products because they facilitate intuitive uses of the devices they empower. Others, however, readily integrate into consumer devices because they solve a real-world problem. As users become increasingly dependent on the functionality accorded to them by smart phones, technologies that enable them to use their phone’s functionality in environments where phones generally must be shut off become highly important. Incorporating similar public domain technologies into efforts to enhance the devices we use day to day can give existing research and development initiatives a head-start with no additional investment, provide cost savings over proprietary alternatives, minimize licensing costs, and stimulate overall innovation in this technology area.

Please read the full Patently Obvious report by clicking HERE