Read the full article at consumerist.com.
“A corporate squabble over printer toner cartridges doesn’t sound particularly glamorous, and the phrase “patent exhaustion” is probably already causing your eyes to glaze over. However, these otherwise boring topics are the crux of a Supreme Court case that will answer a question with far-reaching impact for all consumers: Can a company that sold you something use its patent on that product to control how you choose to use after you buy it?”
Here’s Consumerist’s TL;DR summary of the article:
• In order to stop customers from using third-party companies that refill printer toner cartridges, Lexmark began asserting patent control over its cartridges.
• One those third-party companies sued Lexmark, contending that this an abuse of patent protection, and that consumers have the right to do what they want with a product after they buy it.
• If the Supreme Court sides with Lexmark, it could have far-reaching implications, allowing companies to further limit consumers’ ability to use, reuse, or resell the things they purchase.
• A ruling is not expected in this matter until later in the spring or summer.