German court issues stay in Samsung's VoiceOver suit against Apple
Hello there, it's Friday and time for your regularly scheduled update on the continuing courtroom hijinks between Samsung and Apple! Today we bring word via FOSS Patents that a German court has stayed one of the approximately 200 million cases (give or take a few) brought by the former against the latter. This one involves a Samsung patent covering the translation on onscreen text to voice, or, as Apple terms it, VoiceOver.
Judge Andreas Voss of the Mannheim Regional Court is putting the brakes on the case, citing the fact that the patent in question is currently having its validity examined by a different German court. In fact, Samsung has already had to narrow down its claims against Apple vis-à-vis the patent, as it is so very broad.
As FOSS Patents points out, this lawsuit is a particularly sticky one for Samsung, as it is essentially seeking to prevent Apple from providing a feature that specifically helps the blind and those with impaired vision. We imagine the court that's currently reviewing the patent all this is based on is taking a long, hard look at that very fact and it will factor heavily in whatever decision is ultimately made.
[Via AllThingsD]
