Nigerian patent suit against OLPC may end due to expired design registry

by Giovanni Glass March 16, 2008 6:21 pm Permalink
379 views Filed under: Ade Oyegbola, KONYIN, Lagos, LANCOR, Nigeria, olpc
Source: AP News

The $20 million dollar lawsuit filed by Lagos Analysis Corp. of Natick, Massachusetts has crippled all OLPC activity in Nigeria. The suit has been in process since last August. Last month, a Nigerian federal court ruled against a dismissal request from OLPC. They also extended a restraining order forbidding the OLPC from being distributed in Nigeria.

The dispute is based on the OLPC's Nigerian keyboard layout. There are four shift keys, two more than an American keyboard, that allow for special symbols. The OLPC Nigerian keyboard, Ade Oyegbola, founder of LANCOR alleges, copy from their KONYIN keyboard designs. A description of their special keyboard technology is available on their website and can be purchased here.

The Boston Globe reported that Ade Oyegbola was convicted of bank fraud in Boston in 1990 and served a year in prison.

Last week, Oyegbola's company, has filed a countersuit to OLPC in Massachusetts federal court.

The suit may not have legs to stand on. Groklaw recently reported that an extension for the design registration record for the KONYIN keyboard has expired. The basis for the suit requires that the registration be current and validly registered. Regardless, Oyegbola is pushing for a hearing on the matter.

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