Apple facing patent lawsuit over iPhone keyboard
It may be a little slow out of the gate, but Florida-based SP Technologies is now taking aim at Apple over the iPhone's touchscreen keyboard, claiming that it infringes on a patent it has held since 2004. According to MacNN, that patent describes a "method and medium for computer readable keyboard display incapable of user termination," and the company is saying that Apple was "willful and deliberate" in its alleged infringement of it. As a result, SP Technologies is demanding that Apple pay "reasonable royalties" for each iPhone already sold, along with an injunction to prevent any further use of the allegedly offending intellectual property by Apple. No word on a next move but, as with most of these lawsuits, it'll be up to a federal court in Texas to sort things out.
[Via TUAW]
[Via TUAW]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fletch F Fletch @ Aug 6th 2007 7:34PM
Another intentionally vague patent, with exaggerated claims of willfull and deliberate damages.
There has to have been touchscreen keyboards out on products... and even if they hadn't existed, it's so obvious that the patent office shouldn't have allowed it to begin with...
TJ @ Aug 6th 2007 10:11PM
Imagine if this goes to higher court and they order Apple to stop the sales of the i-phone, and/or force Apple to pay them like how RIM had to pay NTP.
Britboyj27 @ Aug 7th 2007 4:27PM
I imagine this won't go anyway. Even if that circus of a court agrees with the idea that the patent was legitimate to begin with, Apple can just appeal (and appeal they will)
Also, you're also going to have ATT's laywers on Apple's side too, and I think the Jobs-man has more than enough attorneys at his side to make this not even worth his while.
TJ @ Aug 7th 2007 4:39PM
But, just because a company appeals something doesn't mean they will have it in their favor. Look at what Qualcomm is going through with Broadcom. Qualcomm appealed and still lost. When it comes to using patents and not paying, things can get serious. Now all 3G phones are banned that were shipped after June start date, unless a specific carrier pays Broadcom like Verizon did to have rights to use the devices and services.