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Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 07:14 pm
Apple cleared of infringing on Motorola patent in ITC case
A U.S. International Trade Commission judge issued a ruling on Tuesday exonerating Apple of infringing on a Motorola owned patent involving embedded proximity sensors in mobile handsets.
Illustration from Motorola's '862 patent showing a hidden IR proximity sensor (134, 136) located near the speaker.
In his initial determination, Administrative Law Judge Thomas Pender found Motorola's U.S. Patent No. 6,246,862 for a "Sensor controlled user interface for portable communication device" to be invalid, meaning Apple cannot be held in infringement.
The '862 patent covers and infrared proximity sensor that triggers a touchscreen display to shut off when a user's ear is detected, thus avoiding errant touch events. A similar, yet more advanced, system is used in Apple's iPhone line of products.
“We’re disappointed with this outcome and are evaluating our options,” Motorola spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson told Bloomberg.
As noted in Judge Pender's ruling, a full determination will be made public after both parties are able to review the document and redact confidential information.
The commission in August ordered Pender to consider a possible violation after it cleared Apple of Motorola Mobility claims related to other patents for 3G technology. This is the second time the judge has said there was no violation of the patent, which applies to a sensor used to determine the proximity of a person’s head to the device.
Google spent $12.5 billion to buy Motorola Mobility, in large part to obtain its trove of more than 17,000 patents so it had some leverage against Apple, which had been suing Google clients. Apple contends certain phones that run on Mountain View, California-based Google’s Android operating system copied unique features and the look of the iPhone.
The full determination by the judge will become public after both sides get a chance to redact confidential information.
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Previous Comments View All
...Google spent $12.5 billion to buy Motorola Mobility...
Right. So whose patent was Apple cleared of infringing?
Heh, how's that 12.5 billion working out for you google?
Wait! Moto got a patent just for PUTTING a sensor in a phone? That's it? There's nothing special about the sensors? Google spent billions on a patent troll.
Google spent billions on a patent troll.
Google is a patent troll. It's like cloning yourself as the opposite gender for one purpose...
"well played, Google" said no one about the Moto transaction.
Heh, how's that 12.5 billion working out for you google?
So far, about as well as Apple's $2.6 billion investment in Nortel patents.
Or the billions spent on Freescale Semiconductor patents.
Or the unknown hundreds of millions Apple has used to buy mapping companies.
It's like Apple and Google are buying thousands of oysters and hoping that one of them must contain a pearl :)
So far, about as well as Apple's $2.6 billion investment in Nortel patents.
Or the billions spent on Freescale Semiconductor patents.
Or the unknown hundreds of millions Apple has used to buy mapping companies.
Let's see,
Apple now designs its own processors, redefining the architecture and setting their own course instead of relying on Samsung. They're also probably redesigning wireless tech, too.
Apple now designs its own processors, redefining the architecture and setting their own course instead of relying on Samsung.
Apple now creates and manages its own maps, redefining mapping systems and setting their own course instead of relying on Google.
Compare that to the Google purchase of Motorola, which has done nothing but bleed money and get patents invalidated.
So far, about as well as Apple's $2.6 billion investment in Nortel patents.
Or the billions spent on Freescale Semiconductor patents.
Or the unknown hundreds of millions Apple has used to buy mapping companies.
It's like Apple and Google are buying thousands of oysters and hoping that one of them must contain a pearl :)
Apple bought Nortel with a group of others for a different reason than Google bought Motorola. One of the main bidders was a patent troll outfit that likely was going to use the patents to sue companies like Apple. Apple didn't want to be sued over the patents, and wanted leverage if it is sued over LTE.
If the rumors are true, one of the reasons Google bought Motorola was Motorola threatened to go not only after Apple, but other Android vendors like Samsung. I am sure Apple played into it as well.
Originally Posted by TBell
One of the main bidders was a patent troll outfit that likely was going to use the patents to sue companies like Apple.
If the rumors are true, one of the reasons Google bought Motorola was Motorola threatened to go not only after Apple, but other Android vendors like Samsung. I am sure Apple played into it as well.
When RIM goes under, Apple has to bid for it. Obviously just for what it doesn't physically own and not to actually do anything with the stuff it sells. Same with Nokia, maybe.
It's too dangerous for them not to.
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