Patent infringement suit targets Apple over use of Intel CPUs

The lawsuit was filed this week by X2Y Attenuators, LLC, based out of Erie, Penn. X2Y has asserted that Apple's 27-inch iMac, utilizing a 3.2Ghz Intel Core i3 processor, is in violation of five patents it has registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The inventions are U.S. Patent Nos:

• 6,738,249 Universal energy conditioning interposer with circuit architecture
• 7,110,227: Universal energy conditioning interposer with circuit architecture
• 7,609,500: Universal energy conditioning interposer with circuit architecture
• 7,733,621: Energy conditioning circuit arrangement for integrated circuit
• 7,916,444: Arrangement for energy conditioning

Apple's 27-inch Core i3 iMac, model No. A1312, is accused of violating all five patents in the lawsuit. But X2Y also broadens its position in the complaint, citing the desktop as "one such personal computer" made by Apple that it believes violates those patents.

X2Y's complaint also specifically cites HP's TouchSmart 610 Series PC as a computer made by HP alleged to be in violation of the five patents. And it also singles out Intel's Core i7-950 3.06Ghz LGA1366 Desktop Processor.

X2Y's complaint was filed on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The company asserts that the alleged infringement by Apple, Intel and HP, without proper licensing of the five patents, has caused X2Y to suffer monetary damages.

The plaintiff seeks to recoup those damages, along with interest, and has asked the court to prevent the three companies from continuing to sell products it believes are in violation of its patents.

The official site for X2y Attenuators notes that it is an intellectual property company that develops "advanced passive component solutions for the electronics industry." It says that the business is "dedicated to helping companies identify applications where X2y components can improve circuit performance and save money."