ITC staff backs Nokia in patent dispute with Apple
The staff of the U.S. International Trade Commission has sided with Nokia and said that Apple has not provided enough evidence to establish a patent violation, according to a new memo.
Staff of the ITC is a third-party in the case, and does not necessarily represent a final outcome in the patent lawsuit, as noted by Bloomberg. But it is an early victory for Nokia, which is engaged in a major legal battle with Apple that is expected to last for years.
Nokia has challenged assertions that it infringes on Apple-owned patents related to the iPhone. It is also attempting to convince the commission that Apple's patents are invalid.
Apple has accused Nokia of infringing on 13 patents related to a variety of technologies, including graphical user interface and booting of a handset. Apple has also accused Nokia of attempting to obtain more money from it than other companies, and is attempting to obtain special licensing terms for patents related to open standards.
But ITC staff has determined that "some aspects" of Apple's patents are invalid, while others were not infringed upon by Nokia. Judge Charles Bullock is not, however, obligated to follow the staff's position in his findings, scheduled for release in February 2011.
The ITC trial began this week in Washington, and Apple has asked the commission to block the import of Nokia phones into the U.S. In addition, Nokia has its own separate suit filed with the ITC against Apple, and that trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 29.
The legal battle between Nokia and Apple is just one of a number currently underway in the highly competitive wireless industry. Just last week, Apple countersued Motorola, as each company has accused the other of patent violations.
Earlier this year, Apple also sued HTC, alleging that handsets running Google's Android mobile operating system are in violation of 20 iPhone-related patents. "We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it," Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said. "We've decided to do something about it."
Staff of the ITC is a third-party in the case, and does not necessarily represent a final outcome in the patent lawsuit, as noted by Bloomberg. But it is an early victory for Nokia, which is engaged in a major legal battle with Apple that is expected to last for years.
Nokia has challenged assertions that it infringes on Apple-owned patents related to the iPhone. It is also attempting to convince the commission that Apple's patents are invalid.
Apple has accused Nokia of infringing on 13 patents related to a variety of technologies, including graphical user interface and booting of a handset. Apple has also accused Nokia of attempting to obtain more money from it than other companies, and is attempting to obtain special licensing terms for patents related to open standards.
But ITC staff has determined that "some aspects" of Apple's patents are invalid, while others were not infringed upon by Nokia. Judge Charles Bullock is not, however, obligated to follow the staff's position in his findings, scheduled for release in February 2011.
The ITC trial began this week in Washington, and Apple has asked the commission to block the import of Nokia phones into the U.S. In addition, Nokia has its own separate suit filed with the ITC against Apple, and that trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 29.
The legal battle between Nokia and Apple is just one of a number currently underway in the highly competitive wireless industry. Just last week, Apple countersued Motorola, as each company has accused the other of patent violations.
Earlier this year, Apple also sued HTC, alleging that handsets running Google's Android mobile operating system are in violation of 20 iPhone-related patents. "We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it," Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said. "We've decided to do something about it."
Comments
Is that REALLY an accurate quote??????
C
Any idea on how a patent that was approved can be invalid? I am clueless on this stuff.
patent clerks are overworked and can't be expected to know everything about everything
Any idea on how a patent that was approved can be invalid? I am clueless on this stuff.
One way would be to show that Apple received a patent for something that someone else has a prior patent for. That can fall apart if Apple's version isn't exactly like the original. Vast improvement is patentable even if it is based on someone else's patent. So say, by way of example, that Nokia patents using a touch screen interface that requires a stylus. But then Apple improves that by patenting a touch screen interface that works with a stylus or just a finger, AND has the ability to read multiple points of contact. Apple has made a new thing and can patent it (a lot of idea patents are superceded in this way by patents of actually technology to make the idea work)
Another way is to simply to argue that the patent is just an idea. Or that Apple isn't the progenitor of the tech (just the ones to get to the patent office first).
It's all a complex mess really. In the end the important thing to note is that this is not a legally binding call and the Judge can ignore the ITC. And hopefully Apple has proof of the licensing allegations because that's a key point in their argument. Because one thing that is in patent law is that you have to give equal treatment to all licensees. Which they are saying Nokia did not.
And it is worth noting that some of these patents are the same ones Nokia was sued over and lost and now they are jointly owned. So if Apple can prove that they paid to the group, and Nokia asked for additional payments, it won't look good for Nokia
patent clerks are overworked and can't be expected to know everything about everything
Put enough of them into a room and eventually one of them will come up with the Theory of Relativity.
Not happy about this. I think patent law is in a state of utter chaos. I have a couple and work in an environment heavily dependant on them, and am continously amazed at what garbage gets a patent.
Put enough of them into a room and eventually one of them will come up with the Theory of Relativity.
One has to wonder just how much attention Einstein was giving his job while he was actually working on "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies".
sounds like a pretty big blow for Apple. If the judge follows his staff's reocmmendations could impact a lot more than this case.
Not happy about this. I think patent law is in a state of utter chaos. I have a couple and work in an environment heavily dependant on them, and am continously amazed at what garbage gets a patent.
The judge is independent.. The "staff" is a third party actually..
sounds like a pretty big blow for Apple.
Not really.
EVEN IF we assume that the reporting is accurate (BIG assumption) and EVEN IF the judge follows the staff recommendation, look at what they said:
"But ITC staff has determined that "some aspects" of Apple's patents are invalid, while others were not infringed upon by Nokia."
SOME aspects are invalid - which means that SOME aspects ARE valid.
SOME were not infringed.
There's nothing there that says that Nokia is completely innocent - EVEN IF we make the big assumption that the report is factual.
- Apple appears to be losing legal decision.
- Apple hires new lawyers.
I am unable to find it on ITC's (slow-as-molasses) website.
I am surprised that Susan Decker, the Bloomberg reporter does not care to provide the link in her story (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-1...one-trial.html)
SOME aspects are invalid - which means that SOME aspects ARE valid.
SOME were not infringed.
I think you're reading it wrong. Other, more neutral, news sources are reporting it as SOME aspects are invalid and THE REST were not infringed.
I feel that judging by some of the patent violations that apple have been forced to pay out and there
very sparse content relating to what there claiming for apple should be able to sue the rest of manufactures for an obvious copy cat phones.
Some patent violations the thinkers have not even produced a viable product.
The patent violation should only be judged as proven if the violated has a proven product .
I could go on moaning but hey .
One has to wonder just how much attention Einstein was giving his job while he was actually working on "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies".
I think you're reading it wrong. Other, more neutral, news sources are reporting it as SOME aspects are invalid and THE REST were not infringed.
yeah, but people are forgetting also that:
- this is just an *opinion* by the ITC
- that the ITC while a third party, is far from unbiased.
- that it's the job of those in the ITC to minimise the effects of these kinds of disputes on trade
Apple was asking for all Nokia phones coming in to the USA to be stopped (banned) for a protracted period of time. The fact that the ITC is saying that there is no support for a blanket ban, and that instead only a few individual models should be blocked, is really no surprise at all.
Did anyone really expect the ITC to think it was a good idea to ban trade from such a large corporation as Nokia, country-wide, for a long period of time? This isn't really even news looked at that way.
I think you're reading it wrong. Other, more neutral, news sources are reporting it as SOME aspects are invalid and THE REST were not infringed.
But ITC staff has determined that "some aspects" of Apple's patents are invalid, while others were not infringed upon by Nokia.
You are always welcome to cite those other news sources btw.. just sayin'
yeah, but people are forgetting also that:
- this is just an *opinion* by the ITC
- that the ITC while a third party, is far from unbiased.
- that it's the job of those in the ITC to minimise the effects of these kinds of disputes on trade
1) Their opinions are taken very seriously by judges (just as the FTC's views on antitrust are only an 'opinion').
2) If there is a bias, that would be towards a US firm, no? (ITC is a part of the US government).
3) How did you conclude (and where did you find data) that the job of ITC is to '.....minimise the effects of these kinds of disputes on trade'!?
Apple was asking for all Nokia phones coming in to the USA to be stopped (banned) for a protracted period of time. The fact that the ITC is saying that there is no support for a blanket ban, and that instead only a few individual models should be blocked, is really no surprise at all.
Did anyone really expect the ITC to think it was a good idea to ban trade from such a large corporation as Nokia, country-wide, for a long period of time? This isn't really even news looked at that way.
That's just something all companies ask for in these cases. Nokia also asked for a ban on iPhones being imported.
All things considered bit of a blow to Apple, but better for consumers. Apple may have a right to a lot of the technology in the iPhone, but imagine if the keyboard and mouse had a patent that was enforced, or the same with how you drive a car. Whete would the world be if these things had to be different with every manufacturer.