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Apple Faces Patent Infringement Suit over iPhone
Apple, Inc., the manufacturer of the popular iPhone, is currently facing a lawsuit for patent infringement relating to its use of certain digital camera technology. On October 26, 2009, St. Clair Intellectual Property Consultants (SCIPC) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that Apple infringed four of its patents. The patents were originally issued to a company named Personal Computer Cameras, Inc., which then sold the technology to SCIPC for less than $100,000 between 1995 to 2001. Three of the patents are entitled “Electronic Still Video Camera with Direct Personal Computer (PC) Compatible Digital Formal Output,” while the fourth patent is entitled “Process for Use in Electronic Camera.”
SCIPC has a history of filing patent infringement complaints against manufacturers using digital camera technology. In 2001 SCIPC sued Sony and won $25M in damages. Later, it sued Canon and Fuji Film and collected $34.7M and $3M in damages, respectively. Meanwhile, other companies, including LG, Motorola and Sanyo, have opted to negotiate licensing terms with SCIPC.
It is still uncertain whether Apple will settle or go to trial.
For additional information, visit:
http://www.macworld.com/article/144771/2009/12/iphone_camera_suit.html