Apple facing patent lawsuit over iPhone keyboard

It may be a little slow out of the gate, but Florida-based SP Technologies is now taking aim at Apple over the iPhone's touchscreen keyboard, claiming that it infringes on a patent it has held since 2004. According to MacNN, that patent describes a "method and medium for computer readable keyboard display incapable of user termination," and the company is saying that Apple was "willful and deliberate" in its alleged infringement of it. As a result, SP Technologies is demanding that Apple pay "reasonable royalties" for each iPhone already sold, along with an injunction to prevent any further use of the allegedly offending intellectual property by Apple. No word on a next move but, as with most of these lawsuits, it'll be up to a federal court in Texas to sort things out.

[Via TUAW]

[humpty @ Aug 6th 2007 5:51PM]

Apple didnt have to reinvent the keypad.. thumbpads have been around for years, and they WORK! and you can use two thumbs at a time.

[paloooz @ Aug 6th 2007 5:57PM]

Incapable of use termination? Can someone explain this part to me? The way I interpret it is that the user is incapable of "closing" the keyboard or "making it go away." Which is not true for the iPhone. I can open and close it at will.

Please, if I am misunderstanding this part, do explain it to me.

[jbcaro @ Aug 6th 2007 6:11PM]

I believe it means that the user can't make the keyboard go away and still have the screen that requires entry still visible. You can only 'teminate the keyboard' by pressing cancel which terminates the screen or pressing send which also terminates the screen

[Dave @ Aug 6th 2007 6:42PM]

My ancient HP iPaq has that too ... where'd these guys come from?

[AndrewNeo @ Aug 6th 2007 7:13PM]

Dave: I was thinking the same thing, but you can turn the Text Input box on and off using the icon on the lower right.

[em @ Aug 6th 2007 10:56PM]

Read the actual patent claims. Engadget/TUAW's post is misleading (as is typical of tech sites on patent issues): the patent doesn't cover all "methods and media for computer readable keyboard display incapable of user termination", but only a very particular, specific type thereof.

[vip malixi @ Aug 7th 2007 12:20AM]

According to the patent, what makes SP Technologies' keyboard unique is...

"A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of an input area which may not be removed by the user."

So this doesn't apply to Apple's iPhone since users can remove the keyboard via "cancel" button.

This'll be thrown away by court in a flash.

[greenhorn25 @ Aug 6th 2007 5:58PM]

Engadget has been slacking as of late -- this story hit the wires last week.

[JohnPQ @ Aug 6th 2007 6:50PM]

Come on, it's summer! Ryan and the guys need to enjoy the sun too.

[Phil @ Aug 6th 2007 5:58PM]

What the heck? I thought they only gave out patents for things that work.

[Totalfixation @ Aug 6th 2007 5:58PM]

I think the patent is based on holding the key and having it prop up and display the key your holding on.

[McHoffa @ Aug 6th 2007 6:06PM]

then they would be suing nintendo as well.. the keyboard on the Wii is very similar...

[David Clark @ Aug 6th 2007 6:02PM]

This is what happens when you patent every little whim. And yes, Apple's included.

These onscreen keyboards have been on Windows Mobile for years. I had one on my Dell Axim X5 back in the day.

[Matt @ Aug 6th 2007 6:04PM]

WTF doesn't windows mobile have an onscreen keyboard? Everyone has to sue Apple...

[Glazun @ Aug 6th 2007 6:23PM]

Everyone sues everyone over patents lately.. starting to dislike it. Most are just people who have a way to general patent..

[michael @ Aug 6th 2007 8:44PM]

I think hardware vendors are to blame.

One of the things that comes from depending on hardware vendors to do it right.

[Samurai Jack @ Aug 6th 2007 6:25PM]

The Newton also had an onscreen keyboard. If anyone rules this more than an "obvious follow-up" to an existing Apple technology I'd be surprised.

Time to fix our infrastructure. The real reason bridges collapse is because too many patent trolls live under them...

[saxStriker87 @ Aug 6th 2007 6:36PM]

nah, the real reason bridges fall down is b/c the technology to hold them up is all patented, so the bridge maker had to make something up that doesn't work. b/c everything that does work is patented.

(obviously joking, but this is where technology is going)

[Midas360 @ Aug 6th 2007 7:42PM]

Patents are slung around only when successful products are launched. :)

[david @ Aug 6th 2007 8:23PM]

Gawd another stupid lawsuit. Enough already.

[jbcaro @ Aug 6th 2007 8:25PM]

Time to drop a nuke on a little town in Texas, me thinks.

[Deoki @ Aug 6th 2007 8:44PM]

I wonder if SP Technologies will demand the destruction of all iPhones, a la PS3's most recent patent lawsuit.

FCC patents are useless.

[chris @ Aug 6th 2007 9:05PM]

So who owns the patent for the little plastic keyboard on Blackberrys, Motorola Q's, and Samsung Blackjacks?

[nikster @ Aug 6th 2007 9:52PM]

I think it's time for gadget-makers to boycott Texas until that state fixes its patent-friendly legislation.

And it's time for congress to fix the patent system, I think they are on it already: If two independent experts state that a patent is obvious then it is, and it's a goner.

It costs $5000 to file a patent == nothing in a company budget, even the most ridiculous patents get granted, and it's incredibly hard to defend against a patent lawsuit - hence all the trolls. Time to send them back to their caves.

[Wolfticket @ Aug 6th 2007 10:01PM]

I just invented a single buttoned, movement detecting device that allows the user to interact with what is displayed on screen.

I think I'll sue apple as well.

[Weird0 @ Aug 6th 2007 11:28PM]

Too bad Richard Brodie's universal input system is too weird assed for most people. I mean, old women may scream and little children may cry and stuff, you know.

[Barry @ Aug 7th 2007 12:26AM]

Ah, lolpatents.

I CAN HAS ROYALTEEZ?

[Loonie @ Aug 7th 2007 12:31AM]

I'M IN UR PORTFOLIO
INFRINGING UR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

[jeti @ Aug 7th 2007 3:26AM]

Wow. The patent was filed in 2000. I don't know about other PDA's, but the first Palm Pilot came out in 1996.

[Rick Austin @ Aug 7th 2007 9:14AM]

Read the patent abstract and you'd probably agree that they have no chance of winning. Although the attorneys will make a boat load duking it out. I could kick myself for not going to law school and becoming a patent attorney (stupid worthless computer science degree ;-).

[Mecharine @ Aug 7th 2007 10:04AM]

Im glad that the "obvious" characterization is used to evaluate patents. Im an aspiring inventor/engineer, Id rather not invent something thats already patented by a law firm. The legal system needs to make a serious reform of patent law. I dont care if they shorten the life of a patent, just make sure patent trolls are extinct.

[Matt Donovan @ Aug 7th 2007 2:12PM]

Hey Check other sites, the person that is suing them is a fraud with a criminal record. He has sued companies previously regarding patents