IPIX

[tbkweb@xxxxxxxxxxx (Thomas B. Kunz)]

Hi group,
I'm sad about reading this following eMail
from IPIX which I've got today.

regards
Thomas


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iPIX Wins Patent Infringement Case
==========================
We're pleased to announce that a federal court judge this week upheld the ruling
against Infinite Pictures - this confirms that iPIX has exclusive rights to dynamic
imaging created with a fisheye lens.  iPIX is still the simplest way to create
360-by-360-degree immersive images - using fisheye lenses, you only need to take
two pictures, and iPIX software does the rest.  This court validation of our core
patent is great news for the digital imaging community.  Below is the text from a
press release issued in the US.  For more details see our Website:
www.ipix-eu.com

________________________

Y V E T T E   S H E F T E R
________________________
Director, Marketing Communications
iPIX Europe
http://www.ipix-eu.com


Release begins:
===================================
FEDERAL COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF iPIX
IN PATENT INFRINGEMENT CASE
===================================
The Leader in Dynamic Imaging, iPIX Wins Landmark Court Case
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Oak Ridge, TN and San Ramon, CA (09/26/00) - Internet Pictures Corporation (Nasdaq:
IPIX), the standard for dynamic imaging, today announced that the United States
District Court has issued its final judgement in the matter of Internet Pictures
Corporation (iPIX) vs. Infinite Pictures (a/k/a SmoothMove or iMove, Inc.) and
Graphic Effects. iPIX has been awarded over one million dollars in judgment,
interest, and court costs. Infinite Pictures and Graphic Efx are restrained and
permanently enjoined from infringing on iPIX's ' 667 patent.
The federal court's decision provides court-tested validation of the company's core
patent. The judge held that Internet Pictures Corporation has the exclusive rights
to dynamic imaging created with a fisheye lens. Internet Pictures' patented
technology allows users to interact within an image, looking in 360€ in any
direction. iPIX's patented technology represents one of the key building blocks for
the company's dynamic imaging solutions.

iPIX dynamic imaging is found on 22 of the top 25 Media Metrix Web sites. Thousands
of businesses outsource their dynamic imaging needs to iPIX, to accelerate commerce
and improve customer response. From capture of the content, to expert image
preparation and delivery to the Web, wireless devices, or email, iPIX handles the
heavy lifting required for dynamic imaging so iPIX's customers can focus on their
core competencies. Market leaders who rely on iPIX« dynamic imaging include eBay,
Realtor.com, Polaroid, Microsoft HomeAdvisor, Cendant, Starwood Hotels, Marriott,
Discovery Online, and more.
iPIX filed suit against Infinite Pictures, Inc. of Portland, Ore. in October of
1996. iPIX claimed that Infinite Pictures' SmoothMove and RealWorld Navigation
Design Series products infringed iPIX's, U.S. Patent No. 5,185,667. In April 1999,
the jury found for the plaintiff, Internet Pictures, unanimously on all counts of
the verdict and awarded damages of $1,000,000 to Internet Pictures. The court
entered a final judgment and a permanent injunction against Infinite Pictures to
prevent further marketing of products based on the infringing technology following
the jury's verdict. This week the court denied Infinite Pictures' motions for a new
trial and validated the jury's verdict for iPIX.
The court confirmed iPIX's exclusive patent rights within the United States
covering the transformation of fisheye photographic images into perspective
corrected images that forms the core technology behind the dynamic 360€ navigable
images.
Judgment is entered in favor of plantiff iPIX and against defendant Infinite
Pictures and defendant Bill Tillman of Grafic Efx in the sum of $1,000,000 plus
interest from August 1, 1996.
Infinite Pictures shall bear all costs incurred by iPIX in this litigation.
"This landmark case validates our patent portfolio and the federal court has stated
loud and clear that iPIX« technology is pioneering, unique, and protected," said
Jim Phillips, Chairman and CEO of iPIX. "A judicially tested and vindicated patent
portfolio makes iPIX a much stronger company and gives us a tremendous advantage in
penetrating new markets and growing our company."
In September of 1997, Live Picture Corporation (now MGI Software), which also had
been sued by Internet Pictures for patent infringement, agreed that the Internet
Pictures patents were valid and enforceable. Live Picture also agreed to stop its
use of fisheye lenses and remove these products from sale.
iPIX« dynamic imaging technology now stands alone in the industry, protected by a
Federal Court decision. The possibility of an emerging standard in dynamic imaging
is more likely as a result of this decision. With iPIX« images as a de facto
standard, doors are open to wider-scale marketing of iPIX« end-to-end solutions and
growth of the company.
Beyond the positive impact on the strength of Internet Pictures' patent portfolio,
the case may become a landmark in the field of patent law. This is one of the first
times that a patent infringement case has successfully been brought against a
company that used the Internet to commit acts of patent infringement. Internet
Pictures was represented by Washington, D.C. patent law firm Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.



About iPIX
----------------
iPIX (Nasdaq: IPIX) is the standard for dynamic imaging. 22 of the Media Metrix top
25 Web sites use iPIX to make their sites more dynamic. Businesses dependent on
visual content rely on iPIX. iPIX's end-to-end, dynamic imaging solutions enable
the capture, processing, hosting, and distribution of rich media to thousands of
Internet sites and millions of Internet enabled wired and wireless devices. A broad
array of industries, including real estate, online auctions, e-retail, automotive,
travel, publishing, and entertainment, are capitalizing on iPIX« dynamic imaging to
give viewers more information, more interaction, and a richer online experience.
The company is co-headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Palo Alto, California,
with European headquarters in London.

release ends.