Apple Ordered to Pay Finalized $21.7 Million Patent Verdict, Hit With New Suit Over iPhone Camera

[MacRumors]

Silicon Alley Insider reports that Apple has been told to pay a $21.7 million patent infringement judgment to OPTi Inc., a former semiconductor company that abandoned its business to focus on pursuing patent claims against other companies.

The patent in question involves "predictive snooping" technology for transferring data and the suit was initially found in OPTi's favor by a jury back in April with Apple ordered to pay $19 million to OPTi. For unknown reasons, the judgment is only now being finalized, with Apple being ordered to pay an additional $2.7 million in pre-judgment interest.

The decision was made in the plaintiff-friendly U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Because Apple did not willfully infringe on the patent, it does not have to reimburse any attorney fees.

Obviously $21.7 million is couch change to Apple, and they have every incentive to keep fighting a patent troll. So it's possible it will appeal.

As Digital Daily notes, OPTi previously won a $10 million verdict and ongoing licensing fees from NVIDIA, and has also sued AMD over the same patent.

In other patent lawsuit news, The Loop reports that Apple has been sued by St. Clair Intellectual Property Consultants over several patents it claims are being violated by Apple's iPhone camera.

Filed in the United States District Court in Delaware, the lawsuit claims that Apple's iPhone camera infringes on four separate patents including the '459, '219, '010 and '899 patents the company holds.

Apple is again not alone in being a target for St. Clair, as the group previously won significant judgments against Sony and Canon and has brought suits against a wide variety of major camera and technology companies.

Article Link: Apple Ordered to Pay Finalized $21.7 Million Patent Verdict, Hit With New Suit Over iPhone Camera

 

[scottness]

I hate patent trolls.

 

[MizzouCowboy]

OPTi Inc., a former semiconductor company that abandoned its business to focus on pursuing patent claims against other companies

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the world's newest business models....pursuing patent claims.

 

[cmaier]

I hate patent trolls, too. But unlike most people, I actually do something about them.

 

[Willis]

Could Apple get another more lawsuits against them if they tried?!

Not just Apple almost every other company going too. Does make you wonder a little

 

[anubis]

Patents were introduced to protect companies who invent something and then subsequently produce the invention from having their invention copied. It was never intended to provide a source of income for trolls who never intended to even build a product. Support patent reform!

 

[scottness]

I hate patent trolls, too. But unlike most people, I actually do something about them.

What are you doing?

 

[gilkisson]

See there, Psystar? This is why you fail. You shouldn't have tried to snarf Apple stuff after the fact, all you had to do was pretend they snarfed your stuff first. Then get a judge to believe you and... payday.

Still a parasite, either way.

 

[cmaier]

What are you doing?

I'm a patent attorney, and I only take the defendants' side.

 

[powers74]

Who are these people?

Can I find them online at www.patenttrols.com?

What on earth? If they really had all these great ideas, why don't they use some of these millions to ACTUALLY BUILD THEM?

EDIT: I should register that domain then charge an absurd amount of money to the person who actually wants to use it.

 

[zombitronic]

Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.

 

[baddj]

Why is every one suing people these days. I think all it's about is the companies St. Clair and OPTi. They just want money all they most likely think about is money. and these companies could have even payed the jury for them to win you never know.

 

[scottness]

I'm a patent attorney, and I only take the defendants' side.

Thank you!

 

[mattster16]

I wonder what these four patents actually encompass. I'd assume the camera on the iPhone is pretty standard..

 

[jav6454]

Ahhh, America, if you can't work for your money, take it away from someone else.

 

[dvince2]

Ahhh, America, if you can't work for your money, take it away from someone else.

In Soviet Russia, We.... er... did the exact same thing...

 

[cmaier]

I wonder what these four patents actually encompass. I'd assume the camera on the iPhone is pretty standard..

The claims of the patent are fairly specific (what us patent attorneys call "narrow"). The first 15 require removable memory, so I think only 16-18 are a possible issue.

 

[Small White Car]

So I take it all you "patent trolls suck" posters were in favor of Pystar being able to sell OS X?

You're probably upset that "Apple the patent troll" sued Pystar over that, right?

It's funny, because I see a LOT of you here in this thread but for some reason there wren't a lot of you in the Pystar threads defending Pystar. Where were you then?

 

[spillproof]

Seriously? I want to see what Apple does now. I understand why there are patients but, really your only business is going after others.

 

[lightpeak]

Patents were introduced to protect companies who invent something and then subsequently produce the invention from having their invention copied. It was never intended to provide a source of income for trolls who never intended to even build a product. Support patent reform!

Exactly! Thank you! And obviously a judge or court agrees w/ the patent holder.

Anyone who sues Apple are instantly branded patent trolls unless it's Apple trying to sue others.

 

[cmaier]

So I take it all you "patent trolls suck" posters were in favor of Pystar being able to sell OS X?

You're probably upset that "Apple the patent troll" sued Pystar over that, right?

It's funny, because I see a LOT of you here in this thread but for some reason there wren't a lot of you in the Pystar threads defending Pystar. Where were you then?

1) Apple asserted copyright and breach of EULA, not patents
2) Apple is not a "troll," because a "troll" is an entity that asserts an intellectual property right but doesn't practice its IP. For example, someone who patents everything that can be done with digital cameras but has no intention of ever making digital cameras, and just wants to sue those who do.
3) Psystar are a bunch of thieves.

 

[SandynJosh]

I'm a patent attorney, and I only take the defendants' side.

...but then I mess up badly so the defendant looses, but I do it badly enough the defendent can appeal...and so it goes...

 

[gilkisson]

So I take it all you "patent trolls suck" posters were in favor of Pystar being able to sell OS X?

You're probably upset that "Apple the patent troll" sued Pystar over that, right?

It's funny, because I see a LOT of you here in this thread but for some reason there wren't a lot of you in the Pystar threads defending Pystar. Where were you then?

Where was I then? Pointing and laughing.

When am I now? Pointing and laughing.

Thieves are to scumbags as scumbags are to thieves.

 

[cmaier]

...but then I mess up badly so the defendant looses, but I do it badly enough the defendent can appeal...and so it goes...

So far all of my clients are very very happy.

 

[al2o3cr]

The Eastern District of Texas

The Eastern District of Texas: just another reason that Texas should secede or be given back to Mexico.