ITC Agrees to Investigate Apple's Patent Claims Against Motorola

[MacRumors]

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) yesterday announced that it has agreed to investigate Apple's claims of patent infringement lodged against Motorola late last month, indicating that a preliminary examination of the case has yielded sufficient cause for the agency to pursue a closer look.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain mobile devices and related software. The products at issue in this investigation are mobile devices, such as smartphones, and their operating systems, user interfaces, and other application software.

The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Apple, Inc., f/k/a Apple Computer, Inc. Of Cupertino, CA, on October 29, 2010. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain mobile devices and related software that infringe patents asserted by Apple. The complainant requests that the USITC issue an exclusion order and a cease and desist order.

The dispute between Apple and Motorola, one of many in the tech industry, was launched in early October when Motorola filed suit against Apple alleging infringement of eighteen Motorola patents by a variety of Apple products including the iPhone, iPad, "iTouch" (presumably iPod touch), and certain Mac computers. The ITC announced earlier this month that it would investigate Motorola's claims against Apple.

Apple fired back at Motorola in late October with its own claims that a number of Motorola smartphones infringe six Apple patents related to multi-touch technology, claims which the ITC has now also agreed to investigate.

Article Link: ITC Agrees to Investigate Apple's Patent Claims Against Motorola

 

[franswa za]

and so the crossfire continues!

 

[BC2009]

All this back and forth with patents is so annoying. I wish we had a better system for protecting intellectual property and enforcing those protections. Right now its just a sea of "mutually assured destruction" defense with patent trolls acting like terrorists (i.e.: those who have nothing to lose), and a bunch of threats that result in cross-licensing deals. Its a wonder any independent software developers can make a living without stepping on one of the patent mines of the big companies.

 

[ChromeAce]

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Apple should proceed very carefully so as not to jeopardize the iTunes licensed features in the Motorola ROKR.

 

[Slix]

Patents are getting useless, as BC mentioned. Maybe companies should just stop patenting things.

 

[cxny]

you sue my back, I'll sue yours...

 

[decimortis]

"They've infringed on our patents with their i-Thingy"

"iTouch, sir"

"Yes, that's it! The iTouch is infringing!"

"I think it might be iPod Touch, guys."

"That too!!"

 

[iphoneblack]

iPhone took half of the profit pie. Because of Apple, everyone does not know what to do but suing each other.

 

[Stella]

iPhone took half of the profit pie. Because of Apple, everyone does not know what to do but suing each other.

Or protecting their IP?

 

[fox10078]

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Microsoft is also suing motorola, I think apple and them should team up and just crush them.

 

[elppa]

iPhone took half of the profit pie. Because of Apple, everyone does not know what to do but suing each other.

I'm not sure there is a single handset manufacturer left who wouldn't jump at the chance to be in the position Apple is in. Their profit per phone is ridiculous compared to other manufacturers who don't do their own software.

 

[JAT]

Thank you, thank you!!

It's been days since we had a patent argument on MacRumors.

 

[DakotaGuy]

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Microsoft is also suing motorola, I think apple and them should team up and just crush them.

Why? How does destroying another company improve your iPhone experience?

If it wasn't for Motorola we would not even have cell phones today. Patent claims go back and forth. I know around here most consider Apple 100% innocent in all patent claims and everyone else the infringing parties, but I have a feeling everyone in the business is guilty of using other companies patents.

To make a statement that you want to see a competitor crushed means you do not value competition. You want one phone available from one company. You want everyone forced to use iPhones only. I value choice and I personally think all of these lawsuits are getting completely out of hand.

 

[franswa za]

Thank you, thank you!!

It's been days since we had a patent argument on MacRumors.

hahaha! it will only get worse

 

[Cubert]

iTouch??? Does that mean that part of the lawsuit should be thrown out? I think so. Seriously.

 

[LagunaSol]

In the meantime, Google rips off everyone and gives it away for free.

(And by "free" of course I mean "ad supported.")

 

[franswa za]

iTouch??? Does that mean that part of the lawsuit should be thrown out? I think so. Seriously.

off topic- iTouch is a concept and patented by TSA and probably will end up in court contested by iApple

edit- motorola will be suing!

stop touching me!

 

[Stella]

In the meantime, Google rips off everyone and gives it away for free.

(And by "free" of course I mean "ad supported.")

Gets let real here: All companies copy / gain inspiration from each other.. yes, even Apple copy.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

Gets let real here: All companies copy / gain inspiration from each other.. yes, even Apple copy.

But..but my precious Apple don't copy anyone. They're the best!!

 

[Consultant]

They should create their own OS, not using a knockoff OS that infringes on patents of Oracle Java and Apple iOS.

 

[DakotaGuy]

They should create their own OS, not using a knockoff OS that infringes on patents of Oracle Java and Apple iOS.

I have a 2nd Gen iPod Touch that runs a gimped version of iOS4 and a Motorola Droid 2 running Android 2.2 with a light MotoBlur layer over it and I don't see how it is a knock off. They look nothing alike. Nothing. A knock off would suggest they look and function the same. Sort of like a cheap Chinese iPhone knock off that tries to even copy the icons even if it does not function right.

 

[Doctor Q]

Didn't Apple say they had all sorts of patents when they first introduced the iPhone? So why are there so many lookalike devices out there? I've never understood which aspects of the iPhone are patented, unlicensed to others, and therefore supposedly patent infringements when "borrowed" by anyone else.

 

[shartypants]

Crazy, Motorola is probably regretting starting the lawsuit with Apple.

 

[Stella]

Didn't Apple say they had all sorts of patents when they first introduced the iPhone? So why are there so many lookalike devices out there? I've never understood which aspects of the iPhone are patented, unlicensed to others, and therefore supposedly patent infringements when "borrowed" by anyone else.

Apple have already lost some of those patents and others may not be valid.

 

[alent1234]

Didn't Apple say they had all sorts of patents when they first introduced the iPhone? So why are there so many lookalike devices out there? I've never understood which aspects of the iPhone are patented, unlicensed to others, and therefore supposedly patent infringements when "borrowed" by anyone else.

you can't patent multi-touch since anyone can come up with a slightly different algorithm and gestures to do the same things

palm did it first with it's crazy alphabet 10 years ago

apple did it with hands since tech got to the point where a screen was good enough to take input directly from people