Lawsuit claims iPhone infringes call display patent
A new Massachusetts complaint accuses Apple of violating a patent for a basic call display system.
The five-page complaint by Romek Figa, who does business in the eastern US state as Abraham & Son, claims that "certain Apple telephones" use technology at the heart of a 1990 patent that describes a system which displays both the phone number of an inbound call. The technique matches up phone numbers with a contact list stored on the phone, allowing the device to associate a name with any incoming calls.
At least superficially, Apple's iPhone recalls the patent through its software database of contacts. Inbound calls to an iPhone from a number associated with a contact display the caller's name. However, the patent also references 1990s-era technologies, including a two-line LCD as well as a separate receiver.
Figa, who created and continues to own the patent, says that he has contacted Apple about licensing the patent. The California company, however, has reportedly declined the request "on the terms offered," though these are not mentioned in the lawsuit.
The complaint demands a jury trial and, if victorious, would seek an injunction against Apple barring it from selling the iPhone and infringing on the patent. It also seeks triple damages for knowing infringement.
Apple has not commented on the suit, which was filed late last week in a Massachusetts district court.
The five-page complaint by Romek Figa, who does business in the eastern US state as Abraham & Son, claims that "certain Apple telephones" use technology at the heart of a 1990 patent that describes a system which displays both the phone number of an inbound call. The technique matches up phone numbers with a contact list stored on the phone, allowing the device to associate a name with any incoming calls.
At least superficially, Apple's iPhone recalls the patent through its software database of contacts. Inbound calls to an iPhone from a number associated with a contact display the caller's name. However, the patent also references 1990s-era technologies, including a two-line LCD as well as a separate receiver.
Figa, who created and continues to own the patent, says that he has contacted Apple about licensing the patent. The California company, however, has reportedly declined the request "on the terms offered," though these are not mentioned in the lawsuit.
The complaint demands a jury trial and, if victorious, would seek an injunction against Apple barring it from selling the iPhone and infringing on the patent. It also seeks triple damages for knowing infringement.
Apple has not commented on the suit, which was filed late last week in a Massachusetts district court.
Comments
describes a system which displays both the phone number of an inbound call. The technique matches up phone numbers with a contact list stored on the phone, allowing the device to associate a name with any incoming calls.
Don't all phones do that?
I though patents expire 20 years from application date (14 years for designs)! Please correct me if I am wrong.
I'm just happy they didn't file it in Texas. It's begun to seem as though <A Certain Unnamed Texas Town, Yeah YOU Know Which One> has become the obligatory location for all lunatic patent lawsuits over the past few years. As a Texan myself, I'm ready to bulldoze the damned place. Preferably without evacuating the lawyers first.
What's really needed is stronger jurisdiction rules. It seems as if all was necessary was a PO Box in the district for a while and you're in. Maybe that's what has been done because I haven't heard of suits filed from there in a while.
I'm just happy they didn't file it in Texas. It's begun to seem as though <A Certain Unnamed Texas Town, Yeah YOU Know Which One> has become the obligatory location for all lunatic patent lawsuits over the past few years. As a Texan myself, I'm ready to bulldoze the damned place. Preferably without evacuating the lawyers first.
What's really needed is stronger jurisdiction rules. It seems as if all was necessary was a PO Box in the district for a while and you're in. Maybe that's what has been done because I haven't heard of suits filed from there in a while.
Well, okay....
I still like my idea better, though
Where has he been for the last decade!!??
Yeesh... why does this sort of buffoonery happen only in the USA? Has no one got even a stitch of commonsense there or something?
As mentioned before, Apple's assumed high profit margin of 50% on the iPhone (before the price drop) is not the actual profit margin, iPhone lawsuits will continue to pop-up in the future. Some companies will wait until the 'damage' is too great, some will settle, others will be dismissed.
The screwed-up patent office needs a SMACK across the head.
Patents were supposed to push innovation, not harm it, which is pretty much what they are doing now.
HJP
Another greedy person trying to squeeze some bucks out.
I though patents expire 20 years from application date (14 years for designs)! Please correct me if I am wrong.
Correct. 20 years from the filing date, which in this case was May 1988 so the patent expires in a few months. In addition, a patent can be dated to before the filing date in certain circumstances so it may already be ineffective, but any infringement when the patent was valid is actionable.
Don't all phones do that?
idiot
I just patented life everyone, so you all owe me 5 bucks.
Yeesh... why does this sort of buffoonery happen only in the USA? Has no one got even a stitch of commonsense there or something?
Dude, I patented the process of oxygen intake through a cavity, or cavities or opening, in the home sapien cranium. Otherwise known as breathing. I did this several years ago, so you are in violation of my patent, punk. You owe ME.
Dude, I patented the process of oxygen intake through a cavity, or cavities or opening, in the home sapien cranium. Otherwise known as breathing. I did this several years ago, so you are in violation of my patent, punk. You owe ME.
And its a perpetual one. Its known as taxes. You breath 10.5 million times a year. If you paid $10,500 in annual taxes. Then you are paying the govt $0.001 cents per breath you take for that year.
They've been doing it for years, and for many more years yet. Its a perpetual patent, doesn't ever expire. Your too late.
Dude, I patented the process of oxygen intake through a cavity, or cavities or opening, in the home sapien cranium. Otherwise known as breathing. I did this several years ago, so you are in violation of my patent, punk. You owe ME.
Dude, I just patented the concept of beating to death a weak joke that had already been done several times earlier in the thread -- not to mention in every thread ever about people suing Apple. You owe all of us.