THX Sues Apple Over Alleged 'Narrow Profile Speaker' Patent Infringement

[devman]

THX was spun off from LucasFilm in 2001. Apparently 60% is now owned by Creative Labs which in 2011 made a huge loss and in 2012 managed to only get back into profit by selling of subsidiaries.

But I'd agree something is fishy...

Correct and Creative Labs are infamous for **** like this and were founded by a direct copy of other tech. Go look up the original Soundblaster card and then the AdLib card.

Also note that Creative has sued Apple before over the iPod interface (Apple settled for $100 million).

 

[dreadnort]

Why is it in all these kind of threads where some company is sueing apple or apple is sueing someone else does Samsung always end up being brought up?
even when it has nothing to do with the company.
It's like the fanboys have nobody else to shout at.

 

[praetorian909]

THX applied for their pipe speaker patent in 2003. Here is the Bose pipe speaker article from 1986. THX has ZERO chance of winning this IMO.

http://tinyurl.com/cr58cx7

A ha, but I didn't see any mention that the pipes are narrow. Also there were no flat screen TVs, so it can't be prior art

 

[Leaping Tortois]

The thing is, there isn't any evidence that they did knowingly infringe on any patents. This is the thing that gets me. If people genuinely come up with the same idea independently, but one patents it first, the other guy could get sued. It makes you a little nervous about inventing anything to be quite honest... There are a seemingly endless pile of patents out there, and any one of them could be enough to sue me.

Point of interest. In a patent case you don't have to prove that they knew about it, they could be completely oblivious and it'd still go in favour of the patent holder. Proving willful infringement may allow the patent holder more damages, though.

When applying for a patent you may simply apply for the patent (Roughly $80,000 per country), in which case you may or may not be granted the patent, even if it has been done before. If it has been done before then you loose your patent and your $80,000. What one should do before applying for a patent is a world wide patent search (roughly another $80,000), which will let you know if your invention is already patented.

Australian law is a little different, but I believe that in the US failure to defend your intellectual property results in the loss of that IP, therefore you need to either contact the infringing party and demand that they pay up, or sue. If you don't then you loose your intellectual property, and everyone everywhere can use it without needing to pay licensing fees.

THX is in the right to sue (defending their IP). If apple is infringing then apple should pay up.

 

[Belly-laughs]

prior art

 

[righteye]

I don't like litigation, but Apple should invent its own stuff

Come on, you need to get the sound out somehow and narrow channels in a narrow edge frame does not leave many options, they could always go to a bit of gold wire grill for a retro look i guess.
It was not so long ago that i posted about audio on the iMac and have always wondered why Apple did not use the stand as a sound port it could be turned into a really good base horn i feel.

 

[haravikk]

Where exactly are they losing money? Last I checked none of these models used THX speakers before so it's not as if Apple's switch could actually cost THX any money.

If they infringe then by all means seek appropriate compensation, but Apple isn't selling these speakers to anyone as a distinct device or component, they're only using them in their own products, which they would be selling regardless.

Also, what exactly does the patent cover? The aluminium iMacs have been using downward speakers for quite some time now, maybe even since before 2008?

 

[NoneOfYourB]

Are people actually defending Apple because they infringed another company's patent?

They did not infringe. Look up Helmholtz.

 

[Nightarchaon]

Take the speakers out of the iMac completely IMO, they are crappy and small sounding as it is, ill stick with my Cambridge Soundworks DTS 5.1 surround sound system i have connected to my iMac.

 

[righteye]

Caption Competition

Can you hear me Apple i'm gonna sue!

 

[ellsworth]

Most people don't understand that you can sue Anyone for Anything...

It doesn't necessarily mean you will win anything... let alone have the case looked at by a judge.

Most of the time, this is all just a little parade for companies who have been under the stairs for far too long.

Good luck THX.

 

[MarcelEdward]

Wow those imacs, iphones and ipad must have got a damn good sound if they can infringe a theatrical sound system patent

 

[turtlez]

one day no one will be able to create anything.

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Image

every human should go into hiding now.

 

[till213]

It would be easier to post a list of who is not suing Apple.

It would even be easier to post a list of things that Apple invented. I did that for you:

* ...

End of list.

 

[alexgowers]

How can you sue over a patent if you don't make any product for the public to buy.

This will mean thx case will be dismissed.

This is also part of an all in one were as their patent is an addidtional speaker. They should sue everyone if they think this patent will hold. A port for a speaker is a port you can't have a speaker inside without a channel inside a product single hole or mesh over hole is irrelevant.

Also as with all these how are thx going to sue for loss when they make no competing products to iPhone etc?

Patent are supposed to help creative solutions not stop them flat in their tracks.

At the end of the day apple isn't the bad guy here, they didn't pick the fight or steal it from another product. I see that unless thx can prove they made apple aware of the patent how could apple have infringed upon it?

 

[DudeDad]

All these lawsuits, who do they benefit really? Lawyers? They're just as bad as chasing ambulances.

Lawyers cannot bring suits unless the plaintiff desires to do so. Yes, lawyers "chase ambulances" when they see a potential case, but if "the people" are so disgusted with it, they should not bring the suit. Everyone hates them until it's their turn to win a pot of gold....

 

[Bezetos]

The thing is, there isn't any evidence that they did knowingly infringe on any patents. This is the thing that gets me. If people genuinely come up with the same idea independently, but one patents it first, the other guy could get sued. It makes you a little nervous about inventing anything to be quite honest... There are a seemingly endless pile of patents out there, and any one of them could be enough to sue me.

Welcome to the world of patents pal.

 

[alexgowers]

This guy did em in. 1972!

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/diy/0911/slot_loaded_open_baffle_speaker.htm

 

[Premium1]

In this industry everyone sues eachother. Don't be so naive as to the intent of those businesses. They aren't here for charity. They do exist to make money and we may not like their business practices. That includes legal pursuits.

Never said they aren't but apple opened the can of worms suing everyone and everything, just saying

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How can you sue over a patent if you don't make any product for the public to buy.

This will mean thx case will be dismissed.

This is also part of an all in one were as their patent is an addidtional speaker. They should sue everyone if they think this patent will hold. A port for a speaker is a port you can't have a speaker inside without a channel inside a product single hole or mesh over hole is irrelevant.

Also as with all these how are thx going to sue for loss when they make no competing products to iPhone etc?

Patent are supposed to help creative solutions not stop them flat in their tracks.

At the end of the day apple isn't the bad guy here, they didn't pick the fight or steal it from another product. I see that unless thx can prove they made apple aware of the patent how could apple have infringed upon it?

Patent is a patent, you don't have to make a product to be able to sue someone for infringing on it

 

[G4DP]

Disney suing Apple, this should be an interesting outcome.

 

[unplugme71]

can someone explain to me why THX waits until several products come out from Apple to file a suit? is it because they'll get more money if they wait? or does filing a suit take that long?

Sometimes the company does not notice a patent is infringed. Their idea could've been made 10, 30, 50, or 100 years ago. So someone would have to have worked there or studied their patents to notice this.

Once discovered, they most likely have to buy said product to tear it apart and analyze how it may or may not infringe. This process can take a while.

A case is then reported to their lawyers. The lawyers pull the patent information on file and see if it does indeed infringe.

Company then contacts Apple lawyers.

This process can take 6 months to a year in all seriousness.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Apple should just bu...

I'm sorry, my heart's just not in it anymore.

Sadness.

But hey, we can still talk about the great, new Mac Pro.




"Tap, tap, tap...Is this thing on?"

 

[DennisD7]

I'm sure THX's thin all-in-one computer sales were going great until the new iMac came around and swooped away all the sales.

 

[Macist]

From a cursory glance:

a) It's not clear Apple are 'using' this patent

b) Seems just an obvious idea so how can it be patented?

 

[litmag01]

Lucas vs. Disney | FIGHT!

Seems like a really odd way for Lucas to get back at disney/Apple. Wait isn't he on the BOD? Oh no he got kicked off and the are canceling half his shows.

The force is not strong with this one and hasn't been for over 20 years. I guess this prooves the adage all press is good if your are in the entertainment shtick.

The real question is will Carrie Fischer REALLY sign and if so will she use this thin speaker at home while the new films are being rendered on MacPros?