Apple Ordered to Pay $3.3 Million in Japanese Lawsuit Over iPod Click Wheel Patent

[MacRumors]

Apple has been hit with a judgment for ¥330 million ($3.3 million) in a Japanese court case over infringement of a patent by the company's click wheel system used on a number of past iPod models and the current iPod classic, reports Dow Jones Business News.

The Tokyo District Court on Thursday ordered Apple Inc. ( AAPL ) to pay Y330 million in damages to Japanese inventor Norihiko Saito in a patent infringement case involving the U.S. firm's iPod music player, Kyodo News reported.

The patent that Mr. Saito's company applied for in 1998 covers a technology for the Click Wheel controller that Apple has adopted for the music player in Japan since 2004, Presiding Judge Teruhisa Takano said in the ruling.

Saito had filed an injunction request against Apple back in 2007, and as settlement negotiations failed to result in any agreement, he eventually increased his damages request to ¥10 billion ($101 million). The court ruled, however, that Apple's infringement warranted the much smaller judgment.

Article Link: Apple Ordered to Pay $3.3 Million in Japanese Lawsuit Over iPod Click Wheel Patent

 

[CylonGlitch]

Does he take cash, because Tim carries more than that in his wallet.

 

[jmthigpen]

change between the couch cushions

 

[204353]

Tim probably laughed at this verdict.

Sidenote: see attached... wut?!

 

[samcraig]

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

 

[bergert]

hypocrisy is yours

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic. An iPhone uses more than 100 patents on GSM/4G/Blutooth/WiFi alone. Even Apple's pockets aren't that deep - they'd have to raise prices.

If they had asked a more reasonable amount - Apple usually pays and this would not even be news.

 

[samcraig]

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic. An iPhone uses more than 100 patents on GSM/4G/Blutooth/WiFi alone. Even Apple's pockets aren't that deep - they'd have to raise prices.

If they had asked a more reasonable amount - Apple usually pays and this would not even be news.

No hypocrisy of mine. Where is mine?

And where is evidence that Apple usually pays. Before? Most of the stories are about Apple (and others) having to go through litigation for refusing to pay patent fees.

And who are you (or I) to judge how much or how little a patent is worth. Isn't that why there are courts? If a patent is integral - then isn't it worth more than something that's a "throw away?"

It's clear the judge believed the amount was exorbitant here. Which is great for Apple.

You clearly missed the overarching comment of mine. It's cool.

 

[theheadguy]

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic...

something basic? the click-wheel is the only way to use the device. get your head out.......

 

[jmh600cbr]

It probably cost more than that in lawyer fees

 

[ValSalva]

We don't know the details of this case. This patent is not for the click wheel itself but for some component of it. It must not be all that critical if the damages awarded by the judge came down from $101 million to $3.3 million, especially considering how many click wheel devices were sold.

 

[junior]

We don't know the details of this case. This patent is not for the click wheel itself but for some component of it. It must not be all that critical if the damages awarded by the judge came down from $101 million to $3.3 million, especially considering how many click wheel devices were sold.

Damages awarded in court in Japan tend to be tiny.
If it was in an american court I'd imagine Apple would have happily settled with the company for ten times that amount.
There's never much point in suing people over here due to the meagre amount rewarded.

 

[SamIchi]

That's really low for something as profitable like the iPod.

 

[needfx]

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

you traitor

 

[the8thark]

Why sue now and not in 2001 or whatever when the click wheel was debuted by apple.

 

[Gasu E.]

something basic? the click-wheel is the only way to use the device. get your head out.......

Read it again. It doesn't say the Japanese company patented the click wheel; it says the compnay patented a technology used in the click wheel. The click wheel might use a hundred different technologies... you can't tell from the article how prominent this specific one was.

----------

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

I'm with you on the "evil" part. But unless you've been involved with development of a complex product, you might not realize that it is almost impossible to develop a complex product without inadvertently violating some existing patent.

 

[ufwa]

Why sue now and not in 2001 or whatever when the click wheel was debuted by apple.

The click wheel was introduced for Japan in 2004. It was announced in 2003 for the US.

He didn't just sue now. Its been in court since 2007.

He has also attempted to negotiate(not stated whether its part of court ordered or voluntary) with Apple. So it is possible he may have attempted to negotiate before even lodging a complaint.

 

[FirstNTenderbit]

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic. An iPhone uses more than 100 patents on GSM/4G/Blutooth/WiFi alone. Even Apple's pockets aren't that deep - they'd have to raise prices.

If they had asked a more reasonable amount - Apple usually pays and this would not even be news.

Either MR updated the article or you chose to ignore this because it didn't fit your narrrative:

Saito had filed an injunction request against Apple back in 2007, and as settlement negotiations failed to result in any agreement, he eventually increased his damages request to ¥10 billion ($101 million). The court ruled, however, that Apple's infringement warranted the much smaller judgment.

Apparently he did ask for less initially. How much less I have no idea.

 

[iOzzie]

Now this is settled, build a new Classic already!

Keep that clickwheel though, defines the iPod!

 

[koban4max]

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

are you talking about fanboism?

 

[Masquerade]

Know we know that a Japanese saved apple not jobs

 

[k995]

If samsung had done the same people would be all over the koreans, now "its pocket change so who cares"

 

[Masquerade]

I wonder if its called Mr iPodunkan muputshituri

 

[MaSx]

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

I salute you!

 

[theelysium]

Just another unsuccessful patent troll trying to get his blood out of his turnip.

 

[yusukeaoki]

Just another unsuccessful patent troll trying to get his blood out of his turnip.

Its not a troll since the man actually did invent it.
He first offered to work with Apple but Apple rejected him and just stole the idea.
Its like you working your ass off but someone else just takes your payment.