| SEATTLE, Wa, January 8, 2001 -
Punch Networks Corp., a pioneer in Web-based file sharing and collaboration services, today announced it has been issued an Australian Patent 715172 (AU), and initial allowance on European Patent Application 1,029,296. The patents, based on Punch's first US Patent 5,694,596, cover a "method and apparatus for automatically disseminating information over a network." Punch's second US Patent (5,937,405) is an extension of 5,694,596. The company has numerous other patents pending. "Clearly, this international validation of our intellectual property will strengthen our overall portfolio," said David Campbell, Punch Networks' Chairman, founder and inventor of the patented technology. "Although the Internet knows no national boundaries, it is still important to expand and protect intellectual property, and we will continue to do so."
Punch Networks' intellectual property assets can be simplified into the five steps described below.
- Identifying a machine "A" having a "module" of information (i.e. a file, a folder, a hard-drive, etc.);
- Identifying a machine "B" having a corresponding module of information (i.e. a file, a folder, a hard-drive, etc.);
- Identifying any "module-block(s)" or piece(s) of information (i.e. whole files or parts of files) that are new or more recent;
- Sending identified new or changed module blocks from Machine B to Machine A (or vice-versa as necessary);
- Updating the existing information with the new or changed piece(s) of information (i.e. a file is updated, or a file is added to a folder, or a folder is added to a drive, etc.).
The company's core intellectual property in the area of machine-to-machine, or peer-peer, file transfer has manifested itself in two groundbreaking products. Punch WebGroups was among the first true Web-based file collaboration products on the market when it launched in 1999. Launched in October 2000, Instant Folders is a first-of-its kind application that gives Windows folders the ability to send, receive and synchronize files between any Web-connected machines. "Both products have received awards and critical acclaim," said Punch Networks' President and CEO. "But beyond their feature sets, they serve as powerful examples of the types of applications that can be built upon our patented technologies. We will continue to validate our intellectual property portfolio through additional products as well as partnerships with other leading technology companies."
About Punch Networks Corporation
David Campbell founded Punch Networks in 1995. The Seattle, Wash. based Punch Networks develops software and services that help people effectively manage changing digital information. The company's flagship product, Punch WebGroups, offers users robust file collaboration features via a standard Web browser. Punch Networks offers the Punch WebGroups service from its own site as well as co-branded versions of the service from partner sites. Punch also offers the service direct to companies as a hosted service or as a product for intranet and extranet use. Instant Folders, Punch's desktop-to-desktop file synchronization application, is based on the same core patented technology as Punch WebGroups.
For more information, visit the Punch Networks website at www.punchnetworks.com, email info@punchnetworks.com, or call (206) 343-7661.
|
