Apple sues HTC

[sneeks]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/apple-sues-htc-for-infringing-20-iphone-patents/

• The '331 Patent, entitled "Time-Based, Non-Constant Translation Of User Interface Objects Between States," was duly and legally issued on April 22, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
• The '949 Patent, entitled "Touch Screen Device, Method, And Graphical User Interface For Determining Commands By Applying Heuristics," was duly and legally issued on January 20, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '949 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit B.
• The '849 Patent, entitled "Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image," was duly and legally issued on February 2, 2010 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '849 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit C.
• The '381 Patent, entitled "List Scrolling And Document Translation, Scaling, And Rotation On A Touch-Screen Display," was duly and legally issued on December 23, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '381 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit D.
• The '726 Patent, entitled "System And Method For Managing Power Conditions Within A Digital Camera Device," was duly and legally issued on July 6, 1999 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '726 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit E.
• The '076 Patent, entitled "Automated Response To And Sensing Of User Activity In Portable Devices," was duly and legally issued on December 15, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '076 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit F.
• The '105 Patent, entitled "GMSK Signal Processors For Improved Communications Capacity And Quality," was duly and legally issued on December 8, 1998 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '105 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit G.
• The '453 Patent, entitled "Conserving Power By Reducing Voltage Supplied To An Instruction-Processing Portion Of A Processor," was duly and legally issued on June 3, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '453 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit H.
• The '599 Patent, entitled "Object-Oriented Graphic System," was duly and legally issued on October 3, 1995 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '599 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit I.
• The '354 Patent, entitled "Object-Oriented Event Notification System With Listener Registration Of Both Interests And Methods," was duly and legally issued on July 23, 2002 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A copy of the '354 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit J.

 

[Tom]

Ouch.

 

[JJ!]

We've just learned that Apple submitted over 700 pages of exhibits to the District Court, which is a little nuts. In addition, the ITC complaint lists a number of specific HTC handsets as exhibits, including the Nexus One, Touch Pro, Touch Diamond, Touch Pro2, Tilt II, Pure, Imagio, Dream / G1, myTouch 3G, Hero, HD2, and Droid Eris. That's really a full range of HTC phones, running both Android and Windows Mobile, with and without Sense / TouchFLO. Interestingly, the Android sets are specifically included because they run Android, while the WinMo sets are called out specifically for including DSP chips, not anything to do with Windows Mobile.

700 pages!!!

So whats there problem with HTC, having used both, they are really very different devices!

Interesting:

Among the patents that Apple alleges have been infringed are a number relating to touchscreen interfaces – for which the iPhone has become the best-known, though it was not the first, mobile device.

It is thought that a key element that triggered the lawsuit is that in February HTC released handsets which use "pinch-to-zoom" functionality resembling that of the iPhone.

But the move was received with surprise in the technology community. "I don't fault Apple for acquiring patents. They have to, for defensive purposes, given the current laws," noted John Siracusa, a journalist at Ars Technica who has followed Apple closely for years. "But using them offensively sucks."

The use of the ITC could be key for Apple. A recent analysis found that where lawsuits are filed both with US district courts and the ITC, plaintiffs succeed in the latter more often than the former, by 58% to 35%. That means Apple is roughly 50% more likely to win the case with the ITC – and so could block HTC imports of newer handsets.

Be interesting to see what happens!

 

[Mike_182]

Jesus!

I reckon this could fold HTC, depending on the verdict and penalties.

 

[JJ!]

Shame if anything major comes from this, HTC's new range looks superb and was bound to take some customers away from apple.

 

[JJ!]

The lawsuit between apple and Nokia is still on going too!!

'At the same time Apple is locked in legal action with Nokia. The Finnish phone giant sued Apple for patent infringement in October 2009, alleging it had stolen patented technology.

In response, Apple countersued in December 2009. Nokia launched a second round of legal action in the closing days of 2009.'

 

[172boost]

Steve Jobs annoyed because not everyone wants to buy his handset?
Cheating, frauding, law breaking HTC Hero FTMFW!

 

[JJ!]

Better still bring out the Desire and HD Mini!!!

I'm waiting for LG to sue Apple next lol

 

[David]

steve jobs is a prick. it's done and sealed now.

 

[Munson]

Woops. TBF, patents are patents. What's the point in having them for 'defensive purposes' if they're not enforced? That doesn't make any sense. Difficult to have issues with Apple seeking to enforce their own patents. That's what they are for. HTC rolled the dice. Apple haters would be overjoyed if the tables were reversed. But they're not, because Apple are the innovators and got there first, as always.

Hopefully it's mostly just a case of Apple seeking publicity by rubber stamping their superiority in public. Law is law, though. Let's hope HTC have deep pockets. The legal battle alone would cost more than a CS high rollers weekly wage.

 

[David]

google behind htc for the win, nexus 1 is involved in it.

i hope apple get told to f**k off!!!

 

[JJ!]

Quite, guess thats why Nokia are sueing Apple too, also talks that Palm are the next company to get sued by apple.

HTC will probably now do exactly what Apple did to Nokia and sue them back.. its all very messy!

Apple lawyers must be very busy right now with 2 cases happening!

google behind htc for the win, nexus 1 is involved in it.

i hope apple get told to f**k off!!!

Yeah, some of apples issues are with such things as pinch and zoom etc which are part of android, and I believe google have some pretty deep pockets to make this fight very expensive for either them, HTC or Apple!

 

[Munson]

Roffle. So Apple shouldn't have patents to protect against other companies copying their innovations? Riiiiight.

Fair points about Google and HTC though. Big pockets indeed.

 

[JJ!]

Who said Apple shouldn't have patents??!!

 

[David]

no one said anything about them not being allowed patents, hey can i patent the ability to breathe cause all you f**kers are copying me, PATENT APPROVED.

f**kig stupid. i suppose they'll be going after palm pre / windows 7 phones too now yeh? it's all bully tactics and only proves one thing, the w**kers are scared. They wouldn't start waving their handbags if all the other products were s**t.... it's only cause htc are getting closer and closer that they now panic, pathetic.

what are they hoping, that all other touchscreen phones get taken off the market so consumers only are allowed to buy iphone, sounds exactly like apple mentality to me. arrrrgh burn in hell apple!!!

 

[Munson]

Who said Apple shouldn't have patents??!!

Well, some people seem to be suggesting they have no right to be enforcing them. The logical conclusion to draw from that, is that they shouldn't have bothered with the patents in the first place (because SJ is a c**t). As I say, if the tables were reversed, these same people would no doubt be hoping that Apple crashed and burned. Anti-fanboy hatred is a hundred times more irrational than fanboy love.

HTC/Google/B1llybob copied patented Apple technology. Apple are suing. Anyone who thinks that is unreasonable, is a bit of a spleen IMO.

 

[David]

well actually munson according to nokia, apple infringed them before all this s**t....but i guess it's different from your "apple are the best please don't call them names" mentality. they're allowed because they make their stuff shiny right?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8321058.stm

 

[Munson]

Apple are aware that Google/HTC are a risk, hence they are using their legal right to fight them. It's quite simple. They are a business.

 

[JJ!]

Looking at those patents though, makes me wonder why Apple are not sueing Samsung as I have seen a number of those on handsets other than HTC ones.

I'm pretty sure HTC will fight back strongly with different worded patents and it will be on-going for quite some time.

The suggestion that apple should not be inforcing the patents has nothing what so eber to do with anti-fanboys, it was something mentioned in an article by the 'technology community' what ever that means!

 

[Gally]

Flol! Serious stuff but as said with google there it won't be an easy fight.

The patents would have to be very specific surely Roy, not like I patented the touch screen so no one else can have it kinda thing.

I'm looking forward to the legend! Also excited about the new iPhone!

 

[Munson]

Well from what I can tell, the patents are very specific. I'm no lawyer though. I just think it's funny that people think Apple are the work of the devil because they are protecting their business. We all know it would be perfectly fine if HTC were suing Apple for the same reasons. This, to me, proves an irrational hatred of a corporation that no one forces you to buy things from.

 

[David]

i posted a link about nokia sueing apple and you ignored it. complete mental block some people have is astounding!?!

and then you pull the whole "you're just an apple hater" excuse out the bag, is that the best you can come up with pffff grinds my gears.

 

[Munson]

I'm not concerned with the content of the link. I don't care about their legal status or affairs. I'm simply saying it's no surprise that a business wants to protect its business. It's normal. No need to get all animated about it.

 

[JJ!]

We all know it would be perfectly fine if HTC were suing Apple for the same reasons.

Thats rubbish! This has nothing what so ever to do with fanboys and fanboy haters!

 

[Munson]

ok.

 

[McBunny]

it comes across as a way to stop google tbh not htc. htc make the nexus one

jobs did say this
We did not enter the search business," he said of Google. "They entered the phone business. Make no mistake they want to kill the iPhone. We won't let them."

 

[JJ!]

HTC should be quite flattered, its finally made something that is worrying apple. Year of the smart phone (and law suits) is here!

 

[young_lew]

I hope this is one of those suits which takes years to settle so Android/HTC can keep bringing out awesome products, which in turn pushes Apples development with the iPhone.

 

[Cookie]

Lolsers.

This goes on constantly with companies suing and the countersuing each other over patent infringement.

HTC will almost certainly find something in an Apple product that bears a passing resembalance to something they have a patent for.

 

[172boost]

Apple are aware that Google/HTC are a risk, hence they are using their legal right to fight them. It's quite simple. They are a business.

As a non-apple fanboy and HTC Hero owner.........I concur.

 

[OEM Battery Nonce]

Technology is so similar these days that IMO patents aren't feasible, not saying companies shouldn't use them, but they have to be lenient, as already mentioned loads of products share similar features to the iphone and visa-versa. They're just trying to hinder the development/marketing of a product they know is a massive threat to them, and who wouldn't really?

 

[Tom]

Technology is so similar these days that IMO patents aren't feasible, not saying companies shouldn't use them, but they have to be lenient, as already mentioned loads of products share similar features to the iphone and visa-versa. They're just trying to hinder the development/marketing of a product they know is a massive threat to them, and who wouldn't really?

:S

 

[Deeg]

Were Apple not being sued (sp?) by Creative for patent infringement for itunes?

 

[C.J]

So, is this news legit?

 

[Tom]

No its fabricated.