22
Feb
Sprint

Comcast Sues Sprint For Patent Infringement On SMS/MMS, Mobile Broadband, And Network Technologies

Posted by in Legal, News, Sprint

It seems Sprint just can't catch a break lately. After the LightSquared LTE fiasco (it seems eminently likely Sprint will be forking over $65 million and have to cancel the deal), this just seems a bit like kicking the company when it's already down. Comcast has filed suit in Pennsylvania against the nation's number-three carrier, and it's for patent infringement.

Namely, Comcast alleges that Sprint is violating patents it owns covering technologies like SMS/MMS, mobile broadband cards and hotspots, as well as certain traffic routing technologies (IP/MPLS). Here are some excerpts from the complaint regarding the patents:

  • No. 7,684,391: Communications System for Delivering Multimedia Internet Protocol Packets Across Network Boundaries.

17
Feb
ios-5-videos-500x286

In-Depth Analysis: Android's Notification Bar Patent (And How Apple May Or May Not Infringe It)

Posted by in Android OS, Editorials, Legal, News

There has been a lot of interest of late in a patent filed (by Google) back in 2009 for what is obviously a rendition of Android's notification bar system. There are a number of pretty (well, as pretty as black and white gets) figures in the patent showing the notification bar we all know and love, and lots of language about notification systems and the like.

As many of the Android-faithful know, Apple recently implemented as part of iOS 5 the "Notification Center," and it looks an awful lot like Android's in some respects. This immediately drew criticism from the Android community, with many claiming that Apple had essentially "ripped off" Google's implementation, and has been a sore subject ever since.

16
Feb
ohnoes

Apple Receives Injunction Against Motorola In Germany For Slide Unlock - Will Have To Use Circle Unlock Now, Might Have Mattered Two Years Ago

Posted by in Legal, Motorola, News

Apple is causing more mischief over in Germany today, having received an injunction from a Munich Regional Court against phone manufacturer Motorola for utilizing slide-to-unlock style lockscreen methods patented by Apple. Motorola intends to appeal the ruling. The basic point to take away is this: the court ruled that Apple's patent on the concept of moving a tracked image from left to right in order to unlock a phone is valid, and it seems likely that every slide-to-unlock implementation on Android would be infringing in their eyes.

applepatentlock1

REVOLUTIONARY

The appeal will likely take months, and after a Hague court in the Netherlands ruled that Apple's slide-to-unlock patents were invalid for obviousness and existence of prior art, it seems that there are still some very relevant substantive issues in need of higher review here.

16
Feb
sam_vs_apple

Apple Still Trying To Sue The World Into Oblivion With A Fresh Suit Against 17 Samsung Devices Infringing Upon 8 Apple Patents; In Other News, Sky Blue, Water Wet

Posted by in News, Samsung

Last week, we found out that Apple was bringing a fresh suit against Samsung - specifically, seeking a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus over four patents. Now the official complaint document has been posted by the court, and it turns out the suit is aimed at a lot more than just the beloved GNex, and involves more than the four patents initially mentioned. In fact, Apple explicitly names seventeen Samsung devices and cites eight of its patents.

The patents in question:

2012-02-16 08h42_36

Or, for those of you that prefer things in text (also, so that you can copy and paste them elsewhere for the purpose of mockery):

  • System and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data
  • Universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system
  • Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image
  • Method, system, and graphical user interface for providing word recommendations
  • Missed telephone call management for a portable multifunction device
  • Graphical user interface using historical lists with field classes
  • Asynchronous data synchronization amongst devices
  • Universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system

The 17(+) devices in question:

2012-02-16 08h52_52

  • Phones
    • US SGSII series: Galaxy S II Skyrocket, Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch, Galaxy S II - T-Mobile, Galaxy S II - AT&T
    • Galaxy Nexus
    • Illusion
    • Captivate Glide
    • Exhibit II 4G
    • Stratosphere
    • Transform Ultra
    • Admire
    • Conquer 4G
    • Dart
  • Media Players/Tablets
    • Galaxy Player 4.0 and 5.0
    • Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and Galaxy Tab 8.9

sam_vs_apple

I CAN SEE THE INFRINGEMENT FROM HERE.

25
Jan
android-vs-apple

Editorial: Android May Be Winning (Or Not Losing) Battles Against Apple In Court, But Don't Expect An End To The Lawsuits Any Time Soon

Posted by in Android OS, Editorials, Legal, News
Last Updated: January 27th, 2012

A recent Newsweek article has been making the rounds claiming, through an unnamed Apple "insider," that Apple has spent north of $100 million litigating its various grievances against HTC since late 2010. Verifying the accuracy of this number is pretty much impossible. But that doesn't really matter. It may just as well be $80 million, $150 million, or $300 million - the conclusion drawn would remain the same: Apple is spending quite a chunk of income on its growing lawsuit habit.

Apple currently has open suits against Motorola Mobility, Samsung Electronics, and HTC in the ITC (International Trade Commission), a number of US District Courts, and various other buildings in which judges are known to sit in ornate leather chairs for long periods of time around the world.

25
Jan
image

Motorola Files New Lawsuit In Florida, Seeks Injunction Against iPhone 4S And iCloud

Posted by in Android OS, Legal, Motorola, News

Adding another suit to the series of legal skirmishes falling under the overarching battle between Apple and Android Manufacturers, Motorola Mobility has filed a new lawsuit in Florida, accusing Apple of infringing on a handful of technology patents. This suit is hot on the heels of a preliminary U.S. ITC decision that Moto had not infringed on Apple's patents, and comes as an addition to an existing Florida lawsuit (which began in late 2010).

The suit includes six patents, ranging from internal antennas to methods for communicating summarized data. Here's a full list, courtesy of FOSS Patents, who first broke the story:

    13
    Jan
    image

    Motorola Mobility Cleared Of Apple's Infringement Claims By ITC, Faces Other Battles

    Posted by in Android OS, Legal, Motorola, News

    International Trade Commission Judge Theodore Essex decided in Washington today that Motorola Mobility did not violate three of Apple's Patents, as the Cupertino tech giant had claimed. Two of the patents related to touchscreen features, including multi touch, and a device's ability to recognize various types of manual input, like sliding and pinching gestures. The third, as Bloomberg explains, "is for a way to add components without having to run an installation program or rebooting."

    apple-multitouch

    This case comes as one of many in a long saga of attacks on Android for alleged patent infringement, part of an effort by Apple across four continents to prove that Android copies pieces of the iPhone's functionality.

    21
    Dec
    image

    Hasbro Sues ASUS For Use Of Transformer Prime Name (Now Is Anyone Surprised Google Passed On It?)

    Posted by in Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Legal, News

    In a not too surprising move, toy maker Hasbro has sued ASUS, claiming that the Transformer Prime tablet's name infringes trademarks related to Optimus Prime and Transformers children's toys.

    Hasbro filed the lawsuit late last week in Los Angeles federal court, seeking damages and a temporary injunction. Hasbro wrote to paidContent:

    Hasbro continues to aggressively protect its brands and products and the specific actions we are taking today against Asus underscores yet again Hasbro’s willingness to pursue companies who misappropriate our intellectual property for their own financial gain.

    In reality, Hasbro's case is not likely to succeed. MocoNews rightly points out that trademarks generally only cover limited categories of goods, and that it is not realistic to think that consumers might confuse ASUS' latest tablet with a popular children's toy line.

    20
    Dec
    oracle_evil_empire-300x300

    Oracle Claims Android Is Stealing Java's "Traditionally Strong" Phone, TV, And Tablet Market Share - Really, Guys?

    Posted by in Android OS, Legal, News

    In a court filing last night demanding an early trial date for the ongoing Google v. Oracle patent litigation, Oracle claims that Android is now irreparably harming Java's market share in the mobile, TV, and tablet space. Oracle says that these are areas where Java "has traditionally been strong." News to us.

    Last time I checked, cheap multimedia flip phones running Opera Mobile weren't exactly high on Google's target product list for Android, but maybe I missed the memo on that one. Also, please direct me to these Java-powered TVs and tablets, Oracle - the Amazon Kindle is not a tablet, it's an eReader.

    19
    Dec
    htc-logo

    ITC Rules For Apple, Bans Import Of "Some" HTC Phones Into US: Why You Shouldn't Care

    Posted by in HTC, Legal, News

    The blogosphere is currently aflutter with talk of the ITC (International Trade Commission) patent infringement decision in favor of Apple, and the resulting court order banning the import of infringing HTC devices starting April 19, 2012 (4 months from now). The ITC ruled that HTC infringed on two, relatively narrow claims in a patent related to "data tapping" that occurs at the system level in Android.

    You know how your phone can automatically "see" an address or phone number on a web page or e-mail and send you to the appropriate app? That's what the ITC claims HTC, and by relation Android, is infringing on.

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