Apple's Siri voice recognition technology target of patent lawsuit

AppleInsider

Dot 23 Technologies, a non-practicing entity located in Texas, is looking to take Apple to trial for implementing Siri into the iPhone platform, alleging the virtual assistant's voice dialing and geolocation capabilities infringe upon three patents.

In a complaint filed with the patent holder-friendly Eastern District Court of Texas on Wednesday, Dot 23 asserts Apple infringed on three patents covering various smartphone voice recognition features with Siri, a technology in use since the iPhone 4S launched in 2011.

Specifically, the lawsuit holds Apple in infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,917,802, 7,245,903 and 6,405,029, granted between 2002 and 2007 to a single inventor, Byard G. Nilsson. All three patents were assigned to Mobile Telephone Technology, an LLC connected to Nilsson, before being transferred to Dot 23 last September.

The '802 and '029 patents both describe a basic voice dial function executed by an intermediary program capable of recognizing and processing spoken alphanumeric characters. Currently, iPhone users can ask Siri to dial outgoing numbers digit-by-digit, for example, "Call 216-555-1234."

In particular, the '029 property details a system that supports low-level user interaction, or cues generated by an automated service. Siri's ability to process natural language and react in accordance to programmed interactions is much more advanced than Dot 23's patented tech, though Apple's virtual assistant does technically cue users to dial phone numbers vocally.

Dot 23's '903 patent is slightly different in that it covers an information service suitable for serving up "geographic-related" data on demand. The IP describes a system by which users can query an automated service to discover points of interest in specific areas, for example a "Chinese restaurant in Northern California." Geolocation hardware is not mentioned, as the patent instead relies on cell tower data.

Applied to Apple's modern implementation, Siri is able to survey a user's location via GPS and related means, query an Internet-based POI database, pull up directions in Maps and guide users to their chosen destination.

The complaint does not proffer evidence claiming Apple had prior knowledge of the patents-in-suit, noting that the filing itself serves as notification of infringement. Aside from Siri, the suit names Apple's iPhone 4, iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 models as products enabling infringement.

Dot 23 is seeking damages with interest and fees. The case has not yet been assigned a judge.

Dot 23 Technologies Siri Lawsuit

sandse7en

Gold diggers activated.

applesauce007

The patents will be invalidated.

tundraboy

Here's another patent which is a mere translation of a series of manual steps into a computer automated procedure.  The real innovation that makes this possible is the underlying voice recognition and comprehension technology, of which the patent is just a specific implementation.

tenly

Hurry up and assign a judge so they can file for a sales injunction!!!  Apple should not be able to continue selling their products so long as they contain these innovative features stolen from another company!

/s /s /s

tenly

If anyone was still unclear as to what constitutes a patent troll and what doesn't - Dot23 is the epitome of a troll.  Non-practicing.  Trying to assert parents which contain obvious techniques that never should have been awarded in the first place.  This suit will have a judge for all of about 30 seconds before it gets thrown out.

horvatic

Trolls are at it again. If a company doesn't make products it shouldn't be allowed to even apply for a law suit period.

freerange

Please please please dismantle this court and shut it down! Either that or give Texas back to its rightful owner, Mexico!

dysamoria

Stop calling them "non-practicing entities". It just helps to normalize a very bad part of the disease of out-of-control capitalism. Capitalism doesn't have to be unethical and antisocial. Stop justifying it being as such. These companies are trolls. They are harming the very system they're exploiting.

rayz2016

The price of success, unfortunately.

  

dewme

dysamoria said:

Stop calling them "non-practicing entities". It just helps to normalize a very bad part of the disease of out-of-control capitalism. Capitalism doesn't have to be unethical and antisocial. Stop justifying it being as such. These companies are trolls. They are harming the very system they're exploiting.

"a non-practicing entity located in Texas" == "patent troll"

I agree but I'd called it government sanctioned gambling and not capitalism. We shouldn't try to be politically correct to: 1) those who are trying to game the system and 2) the regional bodies, i.e., east Texas, who create the environment and profit centers for this activity to take place. Let's call it like it is. East Texas is the Las Vegas of Intellectual Property games of chance. Instead of gaming tokens or coins that you stuff into a machine, go ahead and fill your pockets with bargain bin patent certificates purchased at clearance sales and nearly defunct companies and try your luck in the IP Casinos / Fast Track Courts in the fine state of Texas. Yee ha. They may as well put up all the flashy themed advertising and have a few past-their-prime entertainers in residence at the local hotels so jurors and lawyers can take in a show when they're not in the casino, uh I meant courtroom. I see package deals and weekend getaways where out of state visitors and tech pundits can witness the proceedings firsthand before they take in an all-you-can-eat buffet and a magic show. Disguising this clown circus buffoonery as a legitimate court of law is a joke. They may as well wrap it all up in the Vegas style glitz and glamour to make it at least a little bit entertaining and expose it for what it really is - a game of chance and performance stage for clowns, uh I meant lawyers.

edited January 2016

jm6032

freerange said:

Please please please dismantle this court and shut it down! Either that or give Texas back to its rightful owner, Mexico!

Careful, you will stir up a hornets' nest with that one. Texas was an independent republic when it joined the United States. So, give it back to itself. Many people in Texas would rejoice at that.

justme12

So Apple can at least blame this company for Siri only accurately getting things right about 25% of the time? Both companies should be embarrassed with Siri functionality 

franklinjackcon

This is as bad as claiming a rectangle with rounded corners can be protected by IP law. Writing to the patent office the things you'd like your device to do is not the same as demonstrating how it will be done. I'm writing a vague patent for a pill that you take and it cures cancer by killing cancer cells. Once Big Pharma works out how to make that, I'll be rolling in it.

dasanman69

jm6032 said:

freerange said:

Please please please dismantle this court and shut it down! Either that or give Texas back to its rightful owner, Mexico!

Careful, you will stir up a hornets' nest with that one. Texas was an independent republic when it joined the United States. So, give it back to itself. Many people in Texas would rejoice at that.

For all of 9 years, before then it belonged to Mexico with many Spanish settlements in the area. 

christophb

freerange said:

Please please please dismantle this court and shut it down! Either that or give Texas back to its rightful owner, Mexico!

Don't be fatuous.  It's a Federal Court so bone up on Article III, Section 1.


As to your other point, perhaps California should go back too? And perhaps Florida?  How about Louisiana up to Oregon?

edited January 2016

magman1979

justme12 said:

So Apple can at least blame this company for Siri only accurately getting things right about 25% of the time? Both companies should be embarrassed with Siri functionality 

Is it just me, or has there been a marked increase in the amount of newly-created accounts on the forums being specifically created to just bash Apple with meaningless and ignorant hyperbole???

The mods need to step it up and start banning these trolls before things get out of hand!

edited January 2016

anome

dasanman69 said:

jm6032 said:

Careful, you will stir up a hornets' nest with that one. Texas was an independent republic when it joined the United States. So, give it back to itself. Many people in Texas would rejoice at that.

For all of 9 years, before then it belonged to Mexico with many Spanish settlements in the area. 

And when you consider that the right to own slaves was one of the reasons they fought to leave Mexico, maybe it would be best they weren't left on their own.

christophb said:

Don't be fatuous.  It's a Federal Court so bone up on Article III, Section 1.


As to your other point, perhaps California should go back too? And perhaps Florida?  How about Louisiana up to Oregon?

Give Louisiana back to the French. They need somewhere to continue their nuclear tests now the South Pacific is out of bounds.

And give Florida to Cuba. That ought to upset a few people.

California's tricky. Maybe everything South of Santa Barbara goes to Mexico, and the North goes to Oregon. It's all hipsters, tech startups, and coffee shops anyway.

tenly

Didn't voice dialing exist as a feature long before it was integrated into Siri?

conceptvbs

Apple tasting its own medicine.

conceptvbs

tenly said:

If anyone was still unclear as to what constitutes a patent troll and what doesn't - Dot23 is the epitome of a troll.  Non-practicing.  Trying to assert parents which contain obvious techniques that never should have been awarded in the first place.  This suit will have a judge for all of about 30 seconds before it gets thrown out.

It's only going to get worse if the Supreme Court upholds the patent judgement from Apple vs Samsung case. Its going to open up a floodgate of new patent trolls (likely targeting Apple). Its going to come back at Apple and bite them in the rear. Mark. My. Words.