News/Rumors

Court orders Apple and Samsung trim down the patent war

U.S. federal court judge ordered the two tech companies to “trim down” their patent suit before it heads to trial early next year. Judge Lucy Koh told Apple and Samsung to “trim down” their cases, limiting them to 25 patent claims and 25 products. “We’ll keep narrowing and narrowing,” Judge Koh said. “You’ve already been litigating this thing for a year; you must know something about what’s your best case.”

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This upcoming trial deals with a newer set of devices from both companies, as well as different patents, though still pits both tech giants against one another yet again. The lawsuit, which began as a February 2012 Apple complaint against the Samsung-built Galaxy Nexus, has grown to encompass a variety of alleged infringing devices, including the flagship iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III handsets. In a filing last week, Apple added Samsung’s Galaxy Note line to its case, while the Korean company asserted three patents against “all generations” of the iPhone and iPad.
Last August, Apple won a considerable victory over Samsung in the same court room. Apple received a $1.05 billion judgment from a jury who said a number of Samsung’s devices infringed on Apple’s software and design patents. “I see risks here for both sides,” Koh said at the time, suggesting that the jury could end up coming down on both companies. In mid-February, Judge Koh announced that she was considering putting a hold on the case until an appeals court handed down a ruling pertaining to the Apple vs Samsung court trial. Both parties have until March 7 to submit official statements regarding the matter before Judge Koh makes a decision either way.

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U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Grants Apple 36 Patents

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple 36 patents including a proximity sensor of the iPhone and iPad. The proximity sensor was first filed on 2005 which provides detection of one or more touches differentiating that are light or hard. Another patent that was granted was with the shock sensor that allows Apple Store technicians to know if the product device was damaged due to dropping. Some granted patents are for electronic media devices and future active packaging that allows power and data to be supplied to one or more electronic devices housed within the packaging. A notable patent was for a 3D version of OS X.

Other patent that was granted was for reconstruction of list in a document, providing information to a caller based on a called mobile terminal’s temporary directory number and automatic image cropping.

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With the patent war between Apple and Samsung on going, news of this grant is a big plus for Apple. Both companies have sued each other regarding ripping off designs. Last August, Apple won one of the infringement cases and the court orders Samsung to pay Apple $1 Billion. One of the victories of that case was that Samsung was found guilty of infringement on design patents of products, and it upheld certain Apple utility and design. The patent war between these two is not yet over. Several cases are still ongoing and some are still waiting for trial. Now with 36 new patents around its belt, Apple has gained a notch on the patent wars. Nevertheless, Apple is still proving that they are the leading innovation giant.

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Apple to Ban 9 Samsung Devices in U.S

Apple was granted with a $1.05 billion victory in the patent battle with Samsung, yet Samsung has some more debts to pay. Jury’s ruling concluded that some Samsung devices are infringing Apple’s patents and need to be banned from the U.S. market. For now, eight of Samsung’s smartphones and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be withdrawn; the case included 28 smartphones models.

To conclude the faith of the nine devices, two separate hearings will take place. The hearing for the galaxy Tab 10.1 will be held on September 20 while the hearing for the smartphones is fixed for December. The Jury foreman Velvin Hogan explained in an interview with Bloomberg the reasons that carried to the $1 billion verdict.

Check out the list of smartphone models and patents infringed.

Credit: PACER

Source: CNet

News/Rumors

Samsung Copied Apple technology [Conan Video]

It seems that the everlasting quarrel between Apple and Samsung has not yet come to an end. Recently, in June, Apple has won lawsuit against Samsung and as a result two android devices, Galaxy 10.1 tab and Galaxy Nexus smartphone were excluded from sales.

Later in July, Apple was constrained to advertise for Samsung in UK having to state clearly all over the web in U.K that Samsung Galaxy tablets have nothing to do with the iPad’s design. Even Samsung’s lawyer stated that the entire quarrel has caused “real commercial harm” for the company. 

Apple claims that Samsung copied both tablet and smartphone technology and their strategy is debated at Conan television.