Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

[Panasonic Toyota Racing]

Sources:
Apple Press Release: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/03/02patents.html

Engadget:
Apple Sues HTC for infringing 20 iPhone Patents:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/a...-patents/?s=t5

Apple specifically going after Android in HTC lawsuit:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/a...npage_engadget

Apple vs HTC: a patent breakdown:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/a...npage_engadget

------------------------------------------------------

At the moment, all I have to say personally is that I'm a big fan of HTC.

[Bang Bang Boom]

OUCH!... Surly they havnt copied apple totally?

[MarkJ]

I like the proxy suit against Android via HTC rather than Google/Moto/Sony/Samsung etc.

Also like the videos most people are posting on comment threads

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW0DUg63lqU

[normal]

FFS. Has the entire mobile industry got it's head up it's posterior? This could be the muther of show downs for Apple. I can't wait to see HTC and Google's response. One thing is for sure, I wish I was a Silicon Valley lawyer. Failing that, I may just have to find out tech specialist law companies and buy shares in them!

[MilhouseVH]

One or two of the patents Apple are claiming exclusive ownership for are seriously suspect - "Conserving Power By Reducing Voltage Supplied To An Instruction-Processing Portion of a Processor" issued in 2008, WTF? Prior art has been available for at least 3 years just in relation to ARM, longer for other CPU architectures (source: Nokia, ARM, Intel, others - good luck Apple).

I must say some of the patents that have been granted to Apple are shocking - "Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image" (granted 2 Feb 2010)? Flaming heck... I thought patents had to be "non-obvious"?

And "Object-Oriented Graphic System"? Oh dear... it's gonna be Microsoft vs. Apple all over again! From what I recall back in the mid-90s didn't Apple lose it's case when it last tried to sue over a graphics system... oh yes it did!

Apple have every right to protect their patents but some of the claimed patents are simply ridiculous and too broad/wide-ranging and I wonder how they were awarded them in the first place... hopefully several will be slapped down as they're too obvious. :(

At the moment I find myself siding with HTC on this one. Go HTC!

[MarkJ]

Someone I was talking to ust pointed out one patent in that list, which is a patent already under dispute by Nokia against Apple. They've obviuosly gone after HTC as they more than likely don't have a list of patents to counter suit with.

I really hope that Google weigh in on this, or even big G and Microsoft, it will either show Apple up for this really bullish lawsuit or maybe throw some light on the bonkers patent system in the US (considering that Apple generates a lot of press coverage).

[MilhouseVH]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Someone I was talking to ust pointed out one patent in that list, which is a patent already under dispute by Nokia against Apple. They've obviuosly gone after HTC as they more than likely don't have a list of patents to counter suit with.

I wonder which one - my guess would be one of the three hardware related patents (in no particular order):

• System And Method For Managing Power Conditions Within A Digital Camera Device (1999)
• GMSK Signal Processors For Improved Communications Capacity And Quality (1998)
• Conserving Power By Reducing Voltage Supplied To An Instruction-Processing Portion Of A Processor (2008)

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I really hope that Google weigh in on this, or even big G and Microsoft, it will either show Apple up for this really bullish lawsuit or maybe throw some light on the bonkers patent system in the US (considering that Apple generates a lot of press coverage).

Nailed on certainty I imagine. I don't object to patents being enforced when there is real merit, ingenuity or R&D cost sunk into the claim but some of these Apple patents are so broad, general and abstract that it gives the impression Apple just patent any old sh1t, any old passing thought, in the hope that one day it will come good and they can sue someone.

At least two of the hardware patents I've listed above look very suspect and probably shouldn't have been granted to Apple. The software "ideas" look lame, and could be shakey too - I'm sure there are limitations on "copyright" of ideas, as Apple already know to their cost.

[MilhouseVH]

You can add TI to the list of companies that might lay a claim to the CPU voltage reduction patent - they call it SmartReflex and it's a key feature found in OMAP since OMAP2 (2004?).

[MarkJ]

Apparantly it's

a.) Apple is suing HTC for how HTC phones shut off the touchscreen when user holds it close to ear (proximity sensors, etc. patent 7,633,076).

b.) Meanwhile Apple itself is being sued for exactly same thing by Nokia (patent 6,518,957).

[-hOrZa-]

does that mean Nokia have to sue HTC?