https://melmagazine.com/hooked-on-teledildonics-how-long-distance-couples-are-having-long-distance-sex-bbf2eaccded1 > On August 17th, U.S. Patent No. 6,368,268 expired, and the sex-toy industry rejoiced. > The patent was originally filed in 1998, and gave the patent holder (TZU Technologies) the rights to any internet-controlled sex toys, more specifically known as teledildonics.