According to Odaily, the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board issued a decision on Tuesday that resulted in a partial victory for both Crusoe Energy and Upstream Data in a patent dispute. The ruling determined that Crusoe Energy's concept of using natural gas generators to power Bitcoin mining operations is not patentable. However, Crusoe Energy failed to prove that the specific design aspects of Upstream Data's oil and gas Bitcoin mining system are also unpatentable. This case marks the first of its kind in the Bitcoin mining industry, particularly within the oil and gas sector.
The USPTO's decision may pave the way for future litigation, especially concerning Upstream's claims over various oil and gas container designs for Bitcoin mining operations. Crusoe Energy recently completed a $600 million Series D funding round, reaching a valuation of $2.8 billion. In contrast, Upstream Data is a smaller private company focused on oil and gas Bitcoin mining in Alberta, Canada. The implications of Upstream's partial victory remain uncertain, but it could lead to enforced royalty payments or other protective measures against competitors.
