Prince McLeanThe federal agency announced Wednesday its intention to investigate both Apple and Research in Motion over the patent suit from Nokia. The formal investigation is not considered to be a sign of anything, as most high-profile complaints are given a review.
According to The Associated Press, the commission will decide whether to block imports of both the iPhone and RIM's BlackBerry models. The Kodak suit alleges that the iPhone and BlackBerries dating back to 2001 infringe on patents the company owns related to previewing digital images.
The complaint first surfaced in January, when the Eastman Kodak Company filed two lawsuits against Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. The first suit against Apple covers the previewing of images, and processing them at different resolutions. The second lawsuit alleges that Apple has infringed on patents that allow a computer to "ask for help" from another application to carry out certain functions.
Kodak has said it licenses its digital imaging technology to about 30 companies, including handset makers like LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. All of those companies pay royalties to Kodak.
On Dec. 17, Kodak won a similar suit against Samsung. An ITC judge ruled that patent No. 6,292,218 related to color image preview was valid and enforceable. The ITC determined that camera-equipped phones from Samsung violated the patent. Kodak hopes to have the same success against Apple and RIM.
Nokia and Apple currently have a number of lawsuits directed at each other, making accusations of patent violations on both parties' behalves. In late January, the ITC announced it was formally investigating Apple over Nokia's patent complaints. In that case, as well as the Nokia one, the ITC could choose to ban Apple from selling products in the U.S., if it finds the Cupertino, Calif., company to be in violation.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
15 Comments
Didn't Apple and Kodak collaborate on a digital camera a long time ago, around the same time computers started viewing jpeg or .jpg images?
Prior art?
I like how companies on the verge of irrelevance due to new technology try to save face by suing.
[CENTER]If they can prove their case, then - So Be It.
Creative was successful with their claims of copyright/patent infringement, so anything's possible.[/CENTER]
AppleInsider
Kodak has been trying for years. Quote & Link from MacRumors site.
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/17/...dak-complaint/
"In its complaint, Kodak contended that it had worked with Apple and Research in Motion "for years" in attempts to resolve the dispute, but had been unable to reach satisfactory agreements. Kodak also noted at the time that disruption of sales of the devices from Apple and RIM was not its "primary interest", suggesting that its complaint with the ITC requesting a ban on import of the devices into the U.S. was designed to gain leverage in its negotiations with the companies."
The consensus from almost all reports (non Kool Aid sites) is that Kodak tried in good business practice for years before they took this to the next level after trying to negotiate a reasonable price for the IP used by both Apple and RIM.
Please read other site before believing what AI prints. They rarely give the full story, especially when it doesn't favor Apple's interest.
I’m not saying Kodak is correct. I’m just saying this article is misleading and read the real story on another site. Nobody knows if the allegations are true but the US International Trade Commission decided it worth hearing all sides. That in itself should justify giving this article a biased opinion for the omissions left out of the “Reporting”.
"Kodak has said it licenses its digital imaging technology to about 30 companies, including handset makers like LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. All of those companies pay royalties to Kodak.
On Dec. 17, Kodak won a similar suit against Samsung. An ITC judge ruled that patent No. 6,292,218 related to color image preview was valid and enforceable. The ITC determined that camera-equipped phones from Samsung violated the patent. Kodak hopes to have the same success against Apple and RIM"
That was from the article. So let us see. Several of the world's largest phone makers pay Kodak a royalty for using the patent, and Samsung just lost a suit based on patent infringement. And yet, Kodak is a priori wrong and Apple is a priori right?
Wow, can I have what ya'll are smoking? Based on the article, which may or may not be correct, it looks like Apple wants a free ride and all the fanboys are willing to let them have it.