Patent

Visit to the Steve Jobs Exhibit at the US Patent and Trademark Office

Jeff Benjamin ∙ December 26, 2011

A couple of days ago, I took the opportunity to visit Alexandria, Virginia, home of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. I visited there with the intention of getting a glimpse of the Steve Jobs patent exhibit before it was scheduled to be removed in a few weeks.

It's pretty interesting to look at some of the history of Apple's patents and the people involved with those patents. The exhibit was uniquely designed to showcase 12 patents per iPhone screen; I guess you could say the patents were the "app icons" of each of the many large-scaled iPhone's that made up the exhibit.

If you won't be able to make it to the exhibit before it gets taken down, don't fret; I've captured my visit on video for you to enjoy...

HTC Announces It’s Completed Patent Workaround

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Apple received its first big win earlier this week in its ongoing patent war with Android manufacturers. The International Trade Commission ruled in favor of the iPhone-makers in its patent infringement lawsuit against HTC.

The ITC's decision was expected to have major ramifications for the Taiwanese company because it banned several products from the United States. But as it turns out, HTC may not lose much business (if any at all) due to the ruling...

Apple’s Latest Patent Victory: In-Call Multitasking

Oliver Haslam ∙ December 21, 2011

Apple is having quite the week, especially considering we are just a few short days away from Christmas. First, the lawyers Apple keeps in a Cupertino basement successfully got the ITC to ban HTC's handsets due to a patent infringement, and now the company has been granted yet another patent to beat the competition with.

The patent awarded is for a "portable electronic device with graphical user interface supporting application switching." That may sound extremely wide-reaching, but we are told that things get a little more specific than that, should Apple actually decide to wield this particular club.

What the patent boils down to is the ability to multitask during a call, something the iPhone was praised for back in the day...

HTC Already Working to Remove Patent-Infringing Apple Feature From Its Devices

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated January 27, 2017

Apple's recent court victory that saw the International Trade Commission ban HTC smartphones from sale in the United States may not be as useful as we originally thought.

HTC's Chief Executive Peter Chou shared today that his company is already hard at work removing or altering the functionality that the ITC deemed as violating one of Apple's patents. The patent was in relation to technology which allows software to recognise data such as phone numbers or addresses and then format them as tappable links.

HTC, for its part, believes that the technology is rarely used in their software, and that its removal will have little impact on the overall experience of using its products...

Apple Sues Samsung Again Over Tablets and Cases

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 27, 2017

The legal battle between Apple and Samsung never seems to end. Today Apple sued Samsung again in Sydney, Australia, claiming that Samsung's phones and tablets infringe on its design patents.

While both companies have sued each other over similar claims in recent months (totaling over 30 different lawsuits across 4 continents), Apple has brought more cases of infringement before the court this time around.

Apple Working on Smart Kiosks for iOS Devices

Cody Lee ∙ December 20, 2011

The innovative minds of Apple's R&D (Research and Development) team never cease to amaze us. They've come up with all kinds of cool stuff — most of which never makes it into consumer products.

And the latest patent application from the folks in Cupertino is proof of that. Judging by the filing, Apple appears to be experimenting with self-serve "smart kiosks" that can interact with iOS devices...

ITC Rules in Favor of Apple, Bans HTC Products From the US

Cody Lee ∙ December 19, 2011

It's essentially "D-day" for HTC and its Android-flavored devices here in The States. After weeks of postponing, the ITC (International Trade Commission) has finally made a decision in the Apple vs. HTC patent dispute case.

We told you about the lawsuit earlier this month in which Apple is suing the Taiwanese manufacturer for infringing on four of its patents. The outcome could have a huge impact on both companies. So, what did the ITC decide?

The Tablet Apple Tried to Stop

Cody Lee ∙ December 15, 2011

There's still 10 days left until Christmas, but Samsung has already gotten its holiday wish. Earlier this month, an Australian judge overturned an injunction that has kept the company from selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the country.

The ban has been in place since August of this year, and was a major win for Apple in its ongoing patent battle with the Korean manufacturer. The two companies have been in and out of courtrooms around the globe since April...

What Apple Thinks Samsung’s Tablet Should Have Looked Like

Cody Lee ∙ December 12, 2011

A little over a week ago, court documents surfaced regarding the ongoing patent war between Apple and Samsung. The two companies have been locked in courtroom battles all over the world since Apple filed its trademark infringement suit earlier this year.

Apple's argument has been that Samsung's products look extremely similar to its own devices, particularly its tablets. This was especially evident in the leaked court documents that included tips from Apple on how Samsung should've made its Galaxy Tab.

Motorola Wins Injunction Against Apple in Germany

Cody Lee ∙ December 9, 2011

Motorola Mobility has just announced that it has scored a major victory in its ongoing patent war with Apple. Just as the iPhone-makers have done to Samsung, Motorola has just won an injunction that bans the import of 3G iPads and iPhones into Germany.

This will be the company's second German court victory in as many months, but the ramifications for Apple are a lot more serious this time around. Unless Apple wins an appeal, it will be forced to stop shipping some of its biggest products into the country...

Apple Awaits Major Court Decision That Could Ban HTC Phones in the US

Cody Lee ∙ December 5, 2011

Although Apple's patent war with Samsung has received a lot of media attention over the last few months, its battle with HTC has been just as fierce. In fact, it was HTC's multi-touch-enabled handset that first sent Steve Jobs through the roof last year.

As with Samsung, Apple has taken HTC on in dozens of courtrooms around the globe. But perhaps none of them are more important than the case going on in the United States right now. Its outcome could have huge ramifications for both companies...

Everything You Need to Know About Apple and Samsung’s Patent War [Infographic]

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

A lot has happened in the patent war between Apple and Samsung since the iPad-makers filed the original patent infringement suit earlier this year. Apple's won a majority of the bouts, winning injunctions against Samsung's products on multiple continents.

But with battles taking place in dozens of courtrooms around the globe, it's hard to keep up with all of the action. Luckily, we've come across this handy infographic that helps explain some of the major events in the ongoing feud between the two companies...