Microsoft, Apple sued over touch-screens

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Microsoft, Apple and 20 other tech companies have been accused of violating a touch-screen patent. Tsera filed suit on July 15 claiming that several mainstream devices make use of a technology invented by the small company. Tsera supposedly owns the rights to a patent for “methods and apparatus for controlling a portable electronic device using a touchpad.”

The patent was filed by Chuang Li in 1999 and granted in 2003. Among the gadgets which have allegedly infringed on the patent are Microsoft’s Zune, Apple’s iPod classic and nano, LG’s Chocolate VX8500 and Philips' GoGear. Apple is facing the brunt of the storm, as Tsera asserts that they have been aware of the patent since September of 04, and have been knowingly infringing since.

Given Apple’s deliberate defiance, Tsera is seeking “enhanced damages” from them – but only expects standard damages from the rest. The filing requests a jury trial, which are a rarity in these types of cases. All who think Tsera will be laughed out of court, say I.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/35536-microsoft-apple-sued-over-touch-screens.html

 

[Guest]

It seems to me that the suit all rotates on how you define the word "touchpad" - if you consider the entire screen a touchpad then i suppose they have a case, but i don't think any one would conclude that when you buy a monitor your really paying for a "touchpad" that has an additional feature of a viewable monitor.

 

[polidiotic]

I wish they would be laughed out of court... but these days? I dunno man. You'd think that if this were so important to them, they'd bring it up in 2003/2004. Friggin' opportunists.

 

[Guest]

They are not disputing the new ipod they are disputing the classic, the one with the touchpad not the touchscreen, i bet they are gonna clean up as most of the companies involved will settle out of court.

 

[HaMsTeYr]

I don't think It'll past but anyway...

on a side note, no one noticed that the Philips GoGear was called the Philips GoFear???? XD

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

@Hamsteyr: Haha.. fixed it in the local story. "GoFear" was pulled directly from the linked story. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[polidiotic]

Guest said:
They are not disputing the new ipod they are disputing the classic, the one with the touchpad not the touchscreen, i bet they are gonna clean up as most of the companies involved will settle out of court.

The article says touch-screen and touch-pad.

 

[polidiotic]

Ahh, I see where it describes the patent. Maybe they should be more specific... as touch-screen can be interpreted to be completely different from a touch-pad.

 

[Tekkaraiden]

I'm amused that Apple and Microsoft or on the same side of a lawsuit. That has got to be giving them both chills.

 

[HaMsTeYr]

lol I myself noticed that i typed past instead of pass >_> oh well. Philips' player must be pretty good to chase the fear away hahaha

Microsoft and Apple's lawyers would probably stop this one no problem... >_> big corporations such as themselves have ways of escaping trouble...