Apple sued over AirPods recharging & connectivity patents

Posted:
in General Discussion
Handsfree headphone maker Pinn claims that AirPods knowingly infringe multiple patents do with operation, recharging in a case, use of a smart phone, and how they connect to a host device.

Pinn, Inc's wireless headphones (Source: Pinn)
Pinn, Inc's wireless headphones (Source: Pinn)


Pinn, a manufacturer of a clip-on wireless headphone unit, has filed a lawsuit against Apple in the US District Court Central District of California. It claims that Apple knowingly chose to infringe Pinn's patents with its Apple AirPods system. Pinn, Inc, seeks trial by jury, and an unspecified sum in compensation based on royalties.

The case centers on Pinn, Inc's US Patent No 9,807,491, referred to as the '491 Patent, while also including additional related patent claims.

"The '491 Patent describes a personal wireless media station that includes a main body and wireless earbud," says the filing.

"Generally speaking, the Asserted Patents claim methods, apparatuses, and systems relating to a personal wireless media station having a wireless earbud and main body," it continues, "wherein the wireless earbud is capable of pairing with a device, such as a smartphone, to receive and play audio data, and capable of connecting to an electric circuit in the main body, for wired communication with the main body when plugged into a connection hole of the main body."

Aside from the specifics of what is included in these patents, Pinn, Inc claims to have approached Apple with its technology prior to the development of the AirPods. The approach was made by who the document lists only as Mr Kim.

"In October 2016, on behalf of Pinn, Mr Kim contacted Apple by e-mail and provided information about Pinn, its technology, and the inventions claimed in the Patents in Suit," it says.

"In emails to Adrian Perica and Tim Cook, Mr. Kim provided details about Pinn, Inc, a link to Pinn's website, and documentation about the Pinn," it continues. "On October 22, 2017, Mr. Perica responded by stating, 'Thanks for reaching out, but this a pass for us.'"

Reportedly, Mr Kim gave Apple a list of its intellectual property assets, which included at least some details of what was then a pending application and subsequently became the '491 Patent.

Pinn's wireless headphones included a clip-on controller device (Source: Penn)
Pinn's wireless headphones included a clip-on controller device (Source: Penn)


Moreover, Pinn, Inc claims that Apple's own US Patent No 10,042,595, relating to the AirPods, cites the '491 Patent.

Pinn, Inc, seeks trial by jury, and unspecified sums consisting of costs, past royalties, and "an award of enhanced and/or treble damages."

Apple has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. However, previous patents have revealed that Apple has been working on AirPods since at least 2015.

One such patent, filed by Apple on June 5, 2015 -- so approximately 16 months before Pinn, Inc emailed Perica and Cook -- covers topics including wireless communication, use of a smartphone, and a charging case.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    Recharging in a case is a patentable idea? I thought patents had to be non obvious novel ideas? Then I patent charging in a double walled case. 
    olschaickajbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 11
    And people gave the looks of AirPods a hard time?!? Ha ha!
    mwhitejbdragonpscooter63FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 11

    Aside from the specifics of what is included in these patents, Pinn, Inc claims to have approached Apple with its technology prior to the development of the AirPods.
    How does Pinn, Inc know they approached Apple prior to the development of AirPods? Is there a known date for when AirPod development began? Perhaps they mean prior to the release of AirPods, which is entirely different. 
    olschaickamwhitechabigjbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 11
    Wow...I seriously didn't know that a 'charging case' which has no dependency of, for AirPods to wirelessly connect to an iOS/iPadOS/macOS/tvOS device can be considered a 'main body'.
    jbdragonpscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 11

    Aside from the specifics of what is included in these patents, Pinn, Inc claims to have approached Apple with its technology prior to the development of the AirPods.
    How does Pinn, Inc know they approached Apple prior to the development of AirPods? Is there a known date for when AirPod development began? Perhaps they mean prior to the release of AirPods, which is entirely different. 
    I don't think Pinn, Inc. claimed that it approached Apple "prior to the development of the AirPods." I think that's the characterization of the author of the AI piece. In the complaint, Pinn, inc. referred to a month (October 2016) in which Mr. Kim first, presumably, contacted Apple regarding this technology.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 11
    daven said:
    Recharging in a case is a patentable idea? I thought patents had to be non obvious novel ideas? Then I patent charging in a double walled case. 
    Yes, they have to be useful, novel, and non-obvious.

    But what's claimed in this patent is quite a bit more specific than recharging in a case.
  • Reply 7 of 11
    Someone waved the ugly stick at those things :#
    mwhitejbdragonpscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 11
    Why Apple, why don't they sue Sony instead?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 11
    so ... four years later and they only now realised apple infringed on their patents? time to hire better lawyers.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 11
    sergioz said:
    Why Apple, why don't they sue Sony instead?
    Or Samsung, Bose, and other manufacturers of wireless headphones with charging cases. 

    If they are using the picture above as evidence, then it looks like they are going to have a hard time since that main body and the AirPod’s charging case are very different. 

    I think that is why there are so many different wireless earbuds. 

    Pinn’s device looks like a busted bluetooth headset. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 11
    Not to mention that Plantronics was making awesome bluetooth headsets with a pen-like battery charging case back in the early 2000s, so there may actually be lots of prior art there to invalidate these claims.
    watto_cobra
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