In response to the recent announcement by Worlds.com of their intention to enforce their patent for a “system and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space” and the subsequent suit brought by Worlds.com alleging that games published by NCsoft infringe on that patent, Article One Partners has called upon their entire worldwide community of researchers (dubbed “advisors”) to review the Worlds.com patent in order to find prior art evidence to invalidate it.

To ensure that researcher compensation is proportional to its contribution to Article One’s mission of invalidating bad patents, successful researchers will be awarded up to $50,000 for submitting prior art which will invalidate the Worlds.com patent. In a discussion with PR Newswire over the new study focusing on the Worlds.com patent, Article One Partners elaborated on their goals with regard to crowd-sourcing prior art discovery:

“Patent disputes are moving to the courtroom in record numbers, with the cost of litigation typically passed along to the public - in this case impacting those who participate in virtual worlds and online gaming…By presenting the patented information to our community for peer review, we focus a global effort upon the core issue of validity for the patents at issue. If a comprehensive search does not uncover prior art evidence, the patent is intrinsically strengthened. If evidence is discovered and presented, the market can take action to reduce unfair monopolies and overly broad patents. In both cases, resolution can be expedited.”

To learn more about Article One Partners or register to become an Advisor eligible to participate in the new study focusing on the Worlds.com patent, go to articleonepartners.com.