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They should sue AT&T just because they are evil. As for Apple, yeah, they probably jacked some IP a bit, but as often is the case, it's easier to pay settlements than spend the additional R&D up front. Look at how it's worked for Samsung.
 
Microsoft, Sony, Google, Samsung and many others have paid for the technology.
Doesn't look like your average patent troll suing Apple, it's probably legit.
 
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So far all we have is a lawsuit being filed yet people have already concluded that Apple infringed. So much for innocent until proven guilty.

Microsoft, Sony, Google, Samsung and many others have paid for the technology.
Doesn't look like your average patent troll suing Apple, it's probably legit.

So was Apple suing Samsung legit or are you saying Apple is a patent troll?
 
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No. Because Google is actually licensing their technology, unlike Apple.... if this lawsuit is valid.

From http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/27/...lawsuit-from-immersion-over-motorola-haptics/

Yeah, I can't see Apple winning this, since other manufacturers are licensing the technology...

Better questions are:

1) Did Apple & Immersion engage in talks to license the technology.
2) Did Immersion want too much in Apple's opinion?
3) If above is true, Is Apple using the legal system to get a lower "settlement" and will license the technology after it settles for a lower cost.
4) Is Apple simply using its sheer size & lawyer team to just willfully ignore it until it absolutely has to pay when the court says so.
 
These days everybody wants a piece of the pie. If they are suing AT&T then why not sue Sprint, Verizon and Tmobile to name a few, they are selling iPhones and would be liable for the same bs.

-Mike
 
Yeah, I can't see Apple winning this, since other manufacturers are licensing the technology...

Better questions are:

1) Did Apple & Immersion engage in talks to license the technology.
2) Did Immersion want too much in Apple's opinion?
3) If above is true, Is Apple using the legal system to get a lower "settlement" and will license the technology after it settles for a lower cost.
4) Is Apple simply using its sheer size & lawyer team to just willfully ignore it until it absolutely has to pay when the court says so.
Aren't patents all about implementation? "haptic feedback" is pretty generic. How do we know for certain Apple's implementation is infringing on these patents? Or does Immersion have patents on every possible implementation?
 
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They should sue AT&T just because they are evil. As for Apple, yeah, they probably jacked some IP a bit, but as often is the case, it's easier to pay settlements than spend the additional R&D up front. Look at how it's worked for Samsung.

AT&T is evil? As in how? They have never ever come to my house to take one of my kids, or to make me switch from my current company. I might be one of the lucky ones.
 
Aren't patents all about implementation? "haptic feedback" is pretty generic. How do we know for certain Apple's implementation is infringing on these patents? Or does Immersion have patents on every possible implementation?

Look at how this sheep defend Apple, it is laughable. When Apple gets accused of copying it is not copying because they implement it differently. When Samsung or other companies get accused they are really copying because Apple has patents on every possible implementation. What a joke.
 
I am curious to see how this will play out. People say Apple can't patent the look of something. Immersion is saying they patented a sensation. Is there source code they used directly? What exactly would you license from Immersion?

Here's the problem... companies are patenting everything. Just go to the patent office web site and search on something... anything... you'll be shocked at the patents you'll find... Google holds one for turning on a light switch. It's out of control.
 
Is everyone forgetting The PlayStation 3/SiXAXiS or whatever? Lol Microsoft paid for the lawsuit, and Sony fought so damn hard.... And lost. And publicly refused to add it back for the PS3 until everyone b!&$#%d at them, thus bringing DualShock 3, with immersion tech ;)

I feel like they went after Motorola and Android/Google a couple years ago? and again not Microsoft lol
 
It would be interesting for someone to estimate what Apple has paid in legal fees and fines defending against allegedly infringed patents over the years vs. what they would have paid had they simply licensed all the same patents.
 
I am curious to see how this will play out. People say Apple can't patent the look of something. Immersion is saying they patented a sensation. Is there source code they used directly? What exactly would you license from Immersion?

if it is just the idea of haptic feedback it will potentially get tossed as too vague and something that never should have gotten a patent
 
I'm not entirely sure how this all works but...
if I were make my own 'vibrator' from scratch, write the code to make it work for haptic feedback from the ground up, and then put it into my own devices to be sold. Would I be infringing on their patents?
 
I'm not entirely sure how this all works but...
if I were make my own 'vibrator' from scratch, write the code to make it work for haptic feedback from the ground up, and then put it into my own devices to be sold. Would I be infringing on their patents?

Yes you would, the patent protects the concept and described implementation (doesn't actually have to be implemented, just described). This is why people believe that software patents don't make any sense because the value is in the implementation and that copyright is enough to prevent direct copying
 
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Yes you would, the patent protects the concept and described implementation (doesn't actually have to be implemented, just described). This is why people believe that software patents don't make any sense because the value is in the implementation and that copyright is enough to prevent direct copying
Thanks for the explanation. Wow well that's a really broad patent then, any device that gives haptic feedback when used could be infringing?
But I guess Apple have some pretty broad patents too!
 
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Hello,

Well, if this article is correct, then it is Reealy strange. I have read the opther Posts, ok so the others are Licensing from Immersion fine.

Why are only the iPhone 6(S) Plus and Apple Watch a problem .... in the iPhone 6 there is not a ForceTouch or 3D Touch so why the patent is not for all the iPhones ???

Also why there is not the MacBook Retina with ForceTouch in the LawSuite and also the New TrackPack ....

Did they forgot about it ... its different when its not on Screen ...

This case seem a lot awkward for me as it is described.

Can someone more qualified an more Informed make a explanation for this ?
 
Immersion is saying they patented a sensation.

No.

if it is just the idea of haptic feedback it will potentially get tossed as too vague and something that never should have gotten a patent

I explained the patents in post #35 or so.

  • Allowing one program to interrupt another already playing a haptic.
  • Figuring out the correct haptic to play by checking what kind of "object" on the screen was touched.
  • Preventing haptics from getting out of sync with the user's touch.
Those are pretty basic patents. Which means that either they're so obvious they'll get invalidated, or they're very strong. So far, they've held up.

Apple could avoid future infringement by removing the above functionality, albeit with some loss of user enjoyment.

So far all we have is a lawsuit being filed yet people have already concluded that Apple infringed. So much for innocent until proven guilty.
Nope. That sentence applies in Criminal proceedings only. Patent infringement is covered by civil litigation.

This. In criminal cases, the scales of justice are indeed heavily tipped towards the defendant in presumption of innocence, and the prosecution must establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

In civil cases, both sides start out even. One side need only provide enough of a better argument to tip the scales in their favor a tiny bit, to prevail.

Genius. Sue Apple for their implemented and patent granted technologies. That's a strategy only a fool can endorse.

Other major companies have licensed from Immersion. Google, Microsoft. Samsung since 2004.

Do you have links to what you think are Apple's patents for the same things?

It would be interesting for someone to estimate what Apple has paid in legal fees and fines defending against allegedly infringed patents over the years vs. what they would have paid had they simply licensed all the same patents.

Yeah, that would be interesting. For example, it's assumed that Cook shut down most litigation against Android makers around the world because it wasn't worth it.

From their law briefs, it appears that Apple's policy is to ignore all license requests when blindly approached, and only respond when sued. At that point, they license or litigate. We have little knowledge of how often they do license without litigating.
 
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I am curious to see how this will play out. People say Apple can't patent the look of something. Immersion is saying they patented a sensation. Is there source code they used directly? What exactly would you license from Immersion?

I am terrified that someone will soon claim that they invented breathing, after which I will need to pay them a copyright just to stay alive...
 
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