U.S. International Trade Commission Investigating Whether Apple Infringed on Maxell Patents

[MacRumors]

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today announced that it is launching an investigation to determine whether Apple's mobile devices and Macs violate patents owned by Japanese consumer electronics company Maxell. [PDF]

Maxell filed a complaint with the USITC on July 17, alleging that Apple's mobile devices, tablets, smartwatches, and laptop computers violate patents related to passcode unlocking, WiFi assist, mobile communications, facial recognition in the Photos app, and more.

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on July 17, 2020, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Maxell, Ltd. of Japan. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain mobile electronic devices and laptop computers by reason of infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,203,517 ("the '517 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 8,982,086 ("the '086 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 7,199,821 ("the '821 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 10,129,590 ("the '590 patent"); and U.S. Patent No. 10,176,848 ("the '848 patent"). The complaint further alleges that an industry in the United States exists as required by the applicable Federal Statute.

Maxell is asking that the USITC issue a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order to prevent Apple from importing infringing devices into the U.S.

The USITC plans to make a final determination in the investigation as quickly as possible. Within 45 days after investigation begins, the USITC will set a target date for completion.

Article Link: U.S. International Trade Commission Investigating Whether Apple Infringed on Maxell Patents

 

[cmaier]

Apple legal very busy

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Get your popcorn's ready.

Apple is a 2 Trillion Dollar company?

What investigation USITC? Give it up...

 

[nylon]

Everyone wants some cookies from the cookie jar. ?

 

[matt_and_187_like_this]

With a 2t valuation and triple digit billions in cash I believe Apple makes more money infringing a patent and paying the fine than doing it inhouse.

 

[JCCL]

Get your popcorn's ready.

Apple is a 2 Trillion Dollar company?

What investigation USITC? Give it up...

I fail to see how is being 2 Trillion Dollar Company has to do with whether they infringed on a Third Party's IP or not. Some people cheer for Apple here as if they were your favorite Sports Team.... "No one can beat my Apple"!

 

[oneMadRssn]

Before we get into the "troll" argument nonsense, it should be noted that Maxell is a big international company with an office in Texas, and has licensed these patents to BLU, ZTE, ASUS, Olympus, and Canon. This is, most definitely, not a troll.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I fail to see how is being 2 Trillion Dollar Company has to do with whether they infringed on a Third Party's IP or not. Some people cheer for Apple here as if they were your favorite Sports Team.... "No one can beat my Apple"!

Cash is king. Just look at the valuation of the company today.

 

[EvilEvil]

I fail to see how is being 2 Trillion Dollar Company has to do with whether they infringed on a Third Party's IP or not. Some people cheer for Apple here as if they were your favorite Sports Team.... "No one can beat my Apple"!

Yep. They actually have lost quite a few lawsuits this year. Being a trillion-dollar company doesn't mean they always win:

🔎 apple loses lawsuit - Google Search

www.google.com

 

[citysnaps]

With a 2t valuation and triple digit billions in cash I believe Apple makes more money infringing a patent and paying the fine than doing it inhouse.

Yet Apple files roughly 2,000 patents a year.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I fail to see how is being 2 Trillion Dollar Company has to do with whether they infringed on a Third Party's IP or not. Some people cheer for Apple here as if they were your favorite Sports Team.... "No one can beat my Apple"!

I agree with your sentiment, but the ITC is political in some ways and errs on not disturbing large US companies. "Too big to exclude" is a term that's been thrown around lately in ITC circles; and there are some "sacred cows" at the ITC, so to speak. GM and Ford have been the classic examples, but it is likely Apple is another.

Besides the merits of infringement, the ITC also looks at public interest. It's getting increasingly difficult to show that cutting off US consumers from future imports of iPhones and iPads would not harm the public -- especially in this increasingly remote pandemic/post-pandemic world.

 

[topgunn]

These "patents" are so vague and nebulous that if Apple is infringing, then every device from the Surface Duo to my refrigerator are infringing.

 

[BaltimoreMediaBlog]

Is this related to loading programs from Maxell cassette tapes on the Apple ][e?
I think I did that one time. Does anyone even remember when that actually was a thing? LOL

 

[I7guy]

Wow. It appears apple needs that $2T for it's legal defense.

 

[synergize]

Picasso once said: " a great artist doesn't create, he steals others."

 

[progx]

Maxell. Haven't heard that name in years. Does anyone need a blank audio cassette? Want to a mix tape?

 

[rp2011]

A giant easy target with deep pockets creates long lines for the lawsuit lottery. If you don’t play, you can’t win.

 

[calzon65]

The bigger and more successful Apple becomes, the bigger the target on its back.

 

[PSeg90]

"passcode unlocking, WiFi assist, mobile communications, facial recognition in the Photos app"

...What took them this long to complain about the fundamentals of iPhone?

 

[NMBob]

Is this related to loading programs from Maxell cassette tapes on the Apple ][e?
I think I did that one time. Does anyone even remember when that actually was a thing? LOL

On an IMSAI 8080 you had to toggle in a short binary "program" to tell it how to run the cassette recorder, then load the OS from the recorder. Back when things just worked...or it was usually your own fault when they didn't.

 

[ikramerica]

Is this related to loading programs from Maxell cassette tapes on the Apple ][e?
I think I did that one time. Does anyone even remember when that actually was a thing? LOL

I had an Atari 800. Load a tape, come back in 30 minutes, ready to go!

 

[cesko]

Maxell. Haven't heard that name in years. Does anyone need a blank audio cassette? Want to a mix tape?

Still have 2x4packs unopened purchased at Costco. Those were the days when a weekend was spent unspooling the tape stuck in the car's tape deck

 

[sw1tcher]

Cash is king. Just look at the valuation of the company today.

Red herring.

Are you suggesting it's inconceivable that a company with a $2 trillion market cap can or would infringe on a patent(s)?

It's not as if Apple's never done it before.

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[quietstormSD]

I knew it.... using my iPhone reminded me of playing my Maxell cassette tapes!

 

[Wildkraut]

If it continues like that, I'll become a Cheerleader!