This has to suck for Samsung. A Dutch judge has decided to halt sales of the Samsung Galaxy S, S II, and Ace smart phones at Apple’s request. The smart phones in question may no longer be marketed or sold by Samsung’s Netherlands-based companies in numerous countries across the European Union as a result of the ruling. Foss Patents has the full details of this. The judgement comes from the fact that Samsung has been judged to have violated Apple patent numbers 2,058,868 and 2,098,948, which cover a method of scrolling in the UI and a method for unlocking a phone from a locked state. Expect either an appeal or a settlement of some sort shortly sometime before October 13 when this ban starts.
Archive for Patents
Sales of Samsung Galaxy S, S, & Ace II Halted In Holland
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple, Lawsuit, Patents, Samsung on August 24, 2011 by itnerdApple Slaps Samsung…. Gets Galaxy Tab Banned In Some Places On Earth
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple, Lawsuit, Patents, Samsung on August 11, 2011 by itnerdThe ongoing pissing contest patent dispute between Samsung and Apple took an interesting turn yesterday. Apple has been granted injunctions that keeps Samsung from selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 most of Europe:
The California-based tech giant convinced a German court to issue a temporary injunction on Wednesday that bans sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 in most of Europe. The device is one of the tablets competing with Apple’s iPad. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has appealed the decision.
The ruling comes one week after Samsung was forced to delay the launch of the Galaxy tablet in Australia, after Apple had filed a lawsuit in that country alleging patent infringement.
That isn’t a minor setback for Samsung. I’m guessing that various lawyers are making phone calls as we speak to see if they can settle this. Expect a settlement shortly…. Or perhaps more litigation. We’ll have to see.
Nortel Patents Sold for $4.5 Billion to Consortium
Posted in Commentary with tags Nortel, Patents on July 2, 2011 by itnerdYou might remember that the complete Nortel patent portfolio was up for sale recently. They’ve been sold for $4.5 billion to a group that includes Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony:
Following a very robust auction, we are pleased at the outcome of the auction of this extensive patent portfolio”, said George Riedel, Chief Strategy Officer and President of Business Units, Nortel. “The size and dollar value for this transaction is unprecedented, as was the significant interest in the portfolio among major companies around the world.
Patents within the massive cache cover a wide range of technologies including wireless, voice, networking, optical data transmission and 4G LTE. This is going to shape the future of telecommunications. The sad part? This pretty much brings down the curtain on Nortel. It’s too bad a company that clearly had a lot going for it ended up this way.
RIM Sued By Dolby For Patent Infringement
Posted in Commentary with tags Dolby, Lawsuit, Patents, RIM on June 15, 2011 by itnerdSince that Nokia/Apple patent lawsuit just got settled, it means there is a vacuum for a new lawsuit. And here it is:
Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Dolby International, has filed patent infringement lawsuits in the U.S. and Germany against Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RiMM), a Canadian manufacturer of wireless handset and tablet devices. The lawsuits seek recovery of financial damages and injunctions to halt sales of the many RIM products that infringe Dolby’s patents.
The lawsuits explain that RIM infringes Dolby patents covering highly efficient digital audio compression technologies which allow manufacturers and consumers to provide and enjoy high quality audio while using extremely limited amounts of transmission and/or storage space for such audio. RIM employs Dolby’s patented technologies in its Blackberry smart phones and Playbook tablet devices, without having obtained licenses from Dolby, the lawsuits say. All other major smart phone makers have agreed to license the Dolby technologies which are the subject of this litigation.
Well, that’s going to help the sales of Playbooks and Blackberries…. Not! But seriously, RIM really has a fight on it’s hands. I’ll keep an eye on this as this one could be really interesting to watch.
Nokia And Apple Settle Their Patent Differences… But It Is Only The Begining For Nokia
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple, Lawsuit, Nokia, Patents on June 14, 2011 by itnerdIt seems that the hatchet has been buried because Reuters is reporting that Nokia has entered into a patent license agreement with Apple that will end their patent warfare. Here’s something else, Apple seems to have lost:
Analysts said it was clear the sums involved would be significant, with some experts estimating Apple’s one-off payment at $650 million.
Nokia’s shares rose as much as 3 percent before closing up 1.58 percent. Analysts welcomed the news and said it would help Nokia concentrate on its core business at a time when it faces huge challenges.
That’s not chump change. The fact that a deal was reached so quickly given that these battles tend to go on forever implies that Apple’s iLawyers seem to have come to the conclusion that victory wasn’t achievable. Needless to say, all litigation between the two have been dropped.
But this is only the beginning for Nokia. Apple has basically set the floor for the value of these patents because Apple wouldn’t have to pay if they weren’t forced to. Meaning that if Nokia goes after anyone else, you can expect that this is the minimum that they will pay. If you’re anyone else in the handset market, you can expect Nokia to be knocking on your door shortly looking for some cash. If I’m Google or Microsoft, I’d get my cheque book out.
It seems that Nokia has found a new revenue stream. That’s a good thing for them seeing as they need the money.
i4i Wins Against Microsoft In Patent Suit
Posted in Commentary with tags i4i, Microsoft, Patents on June 9, 2011 by itnerdStaff at Toronto company i4i are likely having beers tonight as the U.S. Supreme court has shot down Microsoft’s appeal which clears the way for a $290 million pay day:
“It’s hard to expand and grow your business when people feel it’s all under a cloud,” i4i chairman Louden Owen said Thursday.
“Now we think the fields are open and we can plough ahead,” Owen said from Toronto. “So in terms of the validity of our patent, the case is closed.”
Now i4i will be able to promote and sell its technology saying that it has been validated by the U.S. Supreme Court, he said.
Clearly this is a major victory for i4i, and perhaps this will spur patent reform so that we don’t have to see battles like this over and over again. Also, said patent reform might stop the nonsense that we see between companies like Apple and Samsung. Wouldn’t that be something?
Apple Tries To Patent The Ability To Keep iPhone From Taking Video And Pictures
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple, Patents on June 5, 2011 by itnerdA frequent reader pointed me to this post that details a very interesting patent. Apple has filed a patent for a technology that among other things, will keep you from taking pictures and videos. Here’s what Patently Apple had to say about this:
In some embodiments, a device could, based on received infrared data, disable a function of the device. For example, an infrared emitter could be located in areas where picture or video capture is prohibited, and the emitter could generate infrared signals with encoded data that includes commands to disable the recording functions of devices. An electronic device could then receive the infrared signals, decode the data and temporarily disable the device’s recording function based on the command.
Imagine how this could be used. Go to a concert and you lose the ability to film it. Or perhaps something more sinister. From the first article I linked to :
This is all in the name of piracy, and some point out that this could be used for the better to “enhance” one’s experience while recording, but the scary part is that these IR signals could easily be used to block photography or video recording anywhere— including rallies, protests and by the police.
I’ll flesh that out a bit more. Take the so called “Arab Spring” for example. It isn’t too much of a stretch to imagine a oppressive regime such as Syria using technology such of this to keep the outside world from knowing about the atrocities within that country. Much like other technologies, this is a double edged sword.
What do you think? Is this good or bad? Please comment below.
Samsung Wants To See Apple Prototypes…. Just Like Apple Wanted To See Theirs
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple, Lawsuit, Patents, Samsung on May 29, 2011 by itnerdIn a move that is typical with these patent lawsuits, Samsung wants access to Apple prototypes. If that sounds familiar, it should. They’re mirroring Apple’s access to their prototypes:
Samsung claims that it needs to see Apples future products because devices like the Droid Charge and Galaxy Tab 10.1 will presumably be in the market at the same time as the iPhone 5 and iPad 3, and Samsungs lawyers want to evaluate any possible similarities so they can prepare for further potential legal action from Apple.
One wonders if Samsung’s strategy is to force Apple to cough up prototypes which is something that you know would make El Jobso’s head explode. Thus to keep things secret, they might back down. All have to say is good luck with that because the Apple iLawyers will be doing their best to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Apple Forces Samsung To Hand Over Prototypes In Legal Row
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple, Lawsuit, Patents, Samsung on May 24, 2011 by itnerdThis has to suck if you’re Samung. A federal judge has forced Samsung to hand over several prototype products to Apple as part of the ongoing patent lawsuit nonsense that these companies have ongoing:
“Apple has demonstrated good cause for some, limited expedited discovery,” said Judge Lucy Koh last Wednesday in a ruling for Apple in its request for samples of five Samsung products earlier than would normally be granted in such cases.
At the time of the ruling, Samsung had 30 days to deliver product samples, packaging and package inserts pertaining to its Google Android-based Galaxy S2, Infuse 4G, and Infuse 4G LTE smartphones, as well as two tablets, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and Galaxy Tab 10.1.
This might be a turning point in this lawsuit. Samsung’s products have a very similar look and feel to Apple products. By seeing these unreleased products up close and personal, Apple can pick them apart and bolster their case.
Perhaps Samsung might want to start talking about a settlement?
Samsung Galaxy Tab Banned In Australia…. Apple Celebrates
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple, Lawsuit, Patents, Samsung on October 13, 2011 by itnerdApple today won a patent infringement lawsuit it brought against Samsung in Australia. The net result is that Samsung can’t sell the Galaxy Tab tablets in the country:
Justice Annabelle Bennett today said Apple had a prima facie case that Samsung had infringed two of its patents relating to touch screens and the gestures that control them.
Justice Bennett said: “From April 15 when proceedings commenced in the US, Samsung proceeded with its eyes wide open.
“The balance of convenience was almost even … there were several factors that favoured Apple.”
In a statement, Samsung Electronics said it was disappointed with the ruling and would be seeking legal advice on its options.
“Samsung will continue its legal proceeding against Apple’s claim in order to ensure our innovative products remain available to consumers,” it said.
“This is a part of our ongoing legal proceeding against Apple’s claim. Samsung is also confident it can prove Apple’s violation of Samsung’s wireless technology patents through a cross-claim filed on September 16, 2011 with the Federal Court of Australia, New South Wales.
“Our wireless standard patents are essential for mobile business. We will continue to legally assert our intellectual property rights against those who violate Samsung’s patents and free ride on our technology.”
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