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Customs stops delaying HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE devices after 'review'

Sharif Sakr — Wed, 30 May 2012 03:28:00 EST

HTC-branded crates have been trickling through customs for ten days already, following a total clamp-down earlier in May, but it's only now that they're able to pass through without lengthy extra checks. The manufacturer says it has "completed the review process with US Customs" and that it is "confident that we will soon be able to meet the demand for our products." That obviously raises the question as to why the HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE devices were held up in the first place. The ITC had earlier ruled that HTC infringed on an Apple patent about data detection, concerning a handset's ability to recognize and move around personal data, for example between the contact entry and the calendar, and it had given HTC until April to remove that feature. HTC agreed to that, but it appears customs officials initially needed to check every box to ensure that products arriving in the US were of the compliant type. Meanwhile, the LTE part of the EVO 4G is still waiting for its luggage.

Customs stops delaying HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE devices after 'review' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC says again that Apple and RIM don't violate Kodak patent

Jon Fingas — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:59:00 EST

Kodak hasn't caught a break lately, and that trend isn't easing up any time soon with a second rejection arriving in its main International Trade Commission (ITC) patent dispute with Apple and RIM. Despite having had its case remanded after a loss last year, Kodak is once more being told that BlackBerrys and iPhones don't violate a patent on previewing photos. The one violation was rendered moot through "obviousness," according to administrative law judge Thomas Pender. It's still an initial ruling, and Kodak is trying to put a positive light on the situation -- it's "pleased" there's still an infringement, even if the patent claim is invalid -- but the patent wars aren't looking good for a photography company that has already had to give up cameras to have a chance of staying afloat. Most of Kodak's hope, then, will be pinned on a second wave of ITC disputes that might stand a better chance of putting at least Apple's feet to the fire.

Continue reading ITC says again that Apple and RIM don't violate Kodak patent

ITC says again that Apple and RIM don't violate Kodak patent originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mo delays HTC Amaze 4G online orders due to 'unforeseen issue,' has other recommendations

Edgar Alvarez — Sat, 19 May 2012 08:47:00 EST

Hot off the heels of the One X and EVO 4G LTE spending some prolonged time at customs, now another member of HTC's sensational family appears to be feeling the rigorous effects of the ITC. According to a recent email acquired by TmoNews, it looks as if the Magenta carrier is delaying shipments of the HTC Amaze 4G in the US, saying it's facing "an unforeseen issue with receiving the product from the manufacturer," and that it doesn't know when the handset will be up for grabs again. What's also interesting here, however, is T-Mobile going as far as recommending Sammy's Galaxy S Blaze 4G as a substitute -- which, let's face it, can't be good news for HTC. Here's to hoping this all gets sorted out relatively soon. In the meantime, you can check out the aforementioned email in its entirety at the source below.

T-Mo delays HTC Amaze 4G online orders due to 'unforeseen issue,' has other recommendations originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 08:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC bans Motorola mobile devices for infringing Microsoft patent (updated: MMI responds)

Michael Gorman — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:21:00 EST

At the end of last year, an Administrative Law Judge issued an initial ruling that Motorola's mobile devices infringe a bit of Microsoft's IP. Now, the Commission has affirmed that decision and issued an exclusion order to ban Moto's offending devices from importation into the US. In case you weren't aware, the four patent claims at issue generally cover technology for scheduling meetings over email using a mobile device. So, unless Motorola removes the feature, pays for a license or whips up a workaround Microsoft's patent in short order, its inbound RAZRs, Droid 4s, Bionics and other offending handsets will be stuck in customs alongside HTC's One X and EVO 4G LTE -- that is, unless Obama steps in to save the day during the prescribed presidential review period. Microsoft, naturally, is quite pleased with this development and has issued a statement:

Microsoft sued Motorola in the ITC only after Motorola chose to refuse Microsoft's efforts to renew a patent license for well over a year. We're pleased the full Commission agreed that Motorola has infringed Microsoft's intellectual property, and we hope that now Motorola will be willing to join the vast majority of Android device makers selling phones in the US by taking a license to our patents.

-- David Howard, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel Microsoft

We've reached out to Motorola for comment on the matter as well, so stay tuned to see what it has to say.

Update: Motorola has issued an understandably somber statement on the ruling:

Microsoft started its ITC investigation asserting 9 patents against Motorola Mobility. Although we are disappointed by the Commission's ruling that certain Motorola Mobility products violated one patent, we look forward to reading the full opinion to understand its reasoning. Motorola Mobility will not experience any impact in the near term, as the Commission's ruling is subject to a $0.33/per unit bond during the 60 day Presidential review period. We will explore all options including appeal.

ITC bans Motorola mobile devices for infringing Microsoft patent (updated: MMI responds) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC judge finds Apple in violation of Motorola WiFi patent

Brian Heater — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:36:00 EST

Motorola scored a win with the US International Trade Commission this week in its on-going patent battle with Apple. The commission's Judge Thomas Pender ruled that Cupertino is in violation of a Motorola WiFi patent -- one of four patents included in a complaint filed by the RAZR maker back in October 2010. Before the ITC actually goes so far as blocking the import of Apple products, however, the ruling is subject to review by the commission. The decision follows another patent win for Motorola, handed down by the ITC yesterday in a dispute with Microsoft.

Update: Motorola sent along the following, not surprisingly chipper statement on the matter:

We are pleased that the ALJ's initial determination finds Apple to be in violation of Motorola Mobility's intellectual property, and look forward to the full commission's ruling in August. Our commitment to innovation is a primary reason why we are an industry-leader in intellectual property, and our focus continues to be on building on this strong foundation to enhance the user experience.

ITC judge finds Apple in violation of Motorola WiFi patent originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC to review its decision on Microsoft, Motorola patent case

Richard Lawler — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:25:00 EST

Remember back in December when the International Trade Commission ruled on a Microsoft complaint from 2010 that Motorola's Android products infringed on seven of its patents, siding with Microsoft initially on one of them? Since that's so hard to forget, it probably comes as no surprise to hear that the ITC announced today it would review the decision in part, as Motorola noted in its press release at the time. Don't expect a final ruling for another month or so (we'd keep that NFL Draft window clear if we were you), but if you're looking for details, FOSSPatents has the notes on which segments are under review. Don't worry if you miss a step though, we'll be sure to let you know once it's all over (hint: it will never, ever be over.)

ITC to review its decision on Microsoft, Motorola patent case originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC closes the book on HTC's first complaint against Apple, still working on its sequels

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:36:00 EST

Remember that first shot across Apple's bow that HTC fired way back May of 2010? No? We don't blame you. Since that initial exchange of complaints against each other the patent war has spun almost completely out of control. Well, in October an ITC judge handed down an initial ruling, rejecting the Taiwanese manufacturer's claim that Cupertino and crew had infringed upon its patents. Now, almost four months later, a final judgment has been issued, consistent with the initial decision -- Apple is not in violation of the patents in question (which primarily concern the dialer and power management features) and the investigation has officially been closed. Don't get your hopes up too much though, this is just the first complaint in a long series of suits the two have filed against each other and HTC can always appeal in a federal circuit court. In other words, there's plenty more where this came from.

ITC closes the book on HTC's first complaint against Apple, still working on its sequels originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple wants to file patent lawsuit against Kodak, fully aware that Kodak's bankrupt

Amar Toor — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:53:00 EST

Poor Kodak just can't catch a break these days. Nearly a month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and mere days after shuttering its digital camera business, the sputtering company now finds itself the target of no less a behemoth than Apple. Yesterday, Cupertino's legal team asked a US Bankruptcy Court for permission to go after Kodak on two legal fronts: with a patent infringement lawsuit in a Manhattan district court, and a corollary complaint in the ITC. According to Bloomberg, Apple's patent suit focuses on technologies that Kodak uses in its line of digital cameras, printers and digital picture frames. Unfortunately for Kodak, printers are one of the product areas it recently decided to focus on, as confirmed in last week's restructuring announcement. Salt, meet wound.

These two companies, of course, have been involved in an ongoing ITC battle over Kodak's image transfer technology, with the latest salvo coming last month, when the camera company launched a fresh batch of litigation against both Apple and HTC. If the bankruptcy court grants Apple's request, the company will head straight to court, in the hopes of obtaining a block against Kodak's allegedly infringing products. Kodak, meanwhile, could file a request to hold off the district level case until the ITC ruling comes through, though Apple said yesterday that it would press forward, regardless. The company was also quick to point out that it's not legally bound to request permission to sue a court-protected bankrupt company, but did so "out of an abundance of caution," which is really considerate, if you think about it.

Apple wants to file patent lawsuit against Kodak, fully aware that Kodak's bankrupt originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA and Rambus settle, sign patent deal, kiss and make up

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:23:00 EST

Some of you thought it would never happen. You thought that these two mortal enemies would spend the rest of their multinational corporate lives alternately at each other throats and eyeing the other with suspicion from across the boardroom. After dropping some claims and winning others, Rambus has signed an agreement with NVIDIA that puts to rest their remaining legal disputes. The deal will allow NVIDIA to use patented Rambus tech in its products for the next five years, without fear of legal action -- though, neither side will say how much that privilege cost. Now that the battle between the two, which began way back in 2008, has finally come to a close we can all finally get back to the very important business of forgetting who or what Rambus is.

NVIDIA and Rambus settle, sign patent deal, kiss and make up originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC judge throws out Barnes and Noble's patent defense against Microsoft

Amar Toor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:53:00 EST

Microsoft's patent dispute with Barnes and Noble is likely far from over, but the spat saw some movement today, when a judge at the International Trade Commission rejected the bookseller's patent misuse claim. In his ruling, ITC Judge Theodore Essex threw out B&N's argument that Microsoft is misusing its patents against Android, effectively nullifying the company's major defense against Redmond. Microsoft, as you'll recall, is targeting the retailer and its Nook e-reader for allegedly infringing upon a (declining) number of its Android-related patents. Essex's decision is still subject to review from a six-member panel, but Microsoft is already heralding his decision as an early victory. "Today's action by the ITC makes clear that Barnes & Noble's patent misuse defense was meritless," Microsoft Deputy General Counsel David Howard said in a statement. "This case is only about one thing -- patent infringement by Barnes & Noble's Android-based devices." Barnes and Noble, meanwhile, said it has no comment. A full trial on the case is scheduled to begin on February 6th.

ITC judge throws out Barnes and Noble's patent defense against Microsoft originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rambus, Broadcom sign licensing deal, agree to share toys

Chris Barylick — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:28:00 EST

It never hurts to stop arguing, hug it out and agree on a patent licensing deal. Today, Rambus -- which filed a complaint against Broadcom with the International Trade Commission in 2010 -- signed a licensing deal that resolved those claims. In the statement, Rambus said it will license its patent for integrated circuits used in chips made by Broadcom. The company didn't disclose any financial details related to the deal or which technology would be part of the agreement. However, given that Broadcom's known for its wireless networking chips often found in WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular-capable devices, it seems likely to be in the wireless realm. In other news, Rambus and Broadcom have added each other as Xbox Live friends and gotten to level 36 in Modern Warfare 3 co-op gameplay.

Rambus, Broadcom sign licensing deal, agree to share toys originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC judge issues initial ruling that Motorola infringes Microsoft patent

Zach Honig — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:56:00 EST

Well, it's a busy holiday week for the International Trade Commission. The agency just announced an initial ruling that Motorola infringed on four claims of Microsoft patent number 6,370,566, which deals with "generating meeting requests and group scheduling from a mobile device," but not the six other patents that were part of last year's ITC complaint. This is an initial ruling by an administrative judge at this point, unlike yesterday's judgement issued by the ITC, which theoretically banned the sale and import of some HTC phones beginning in April 2012. There's certainly more to come in this particular intellectual property saga, however, so stay tuned.

Update: The spin cycle is on full blast, as Motorola has just issued a downright bizarre press release celebrating the fact that it was cleared on six of the seven patents. Evidently, that's enough for a mega-corp to holler "victory!"

Continue reading ITC judge issues initial ruling that Motorola infringes Microsoft patent

ITC judge issues initial ruling that Motorola infringes Microsoft patent originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC sides with Apple, bans sale and import of some HTC phones (updated)

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:13:00 EST

The ITC has issued a ruling in favor of Apple Inc., banning the sale and import or certain HTC phones in the US. The ruling, which was widely expected to finally be handed down today after being delayed twice, finds that HTC violates ~~a pair of claims patents~~ a patent held by the Cupertino company regarding the formatting of data (such as phone numbers) in otherwise unstructured documents (such as emails) allowing users to interact with them. The ban isn't scheduled to be enacted until April 19th of 2012, giving HTC and Google plenty of time to address the court's concerns. The Taiwanese manufacturer could also simply remove the feature from its phones, though, the ability to interact with such information across apps, such as tapping a phone number in an email to dial it, is an ability most consumers expect their devices to support.

The International Trade Commission did not find that HTC violated two other patents in question, which related to realtime signal processing and would have been much more difficult for HTC to circumvent. Of course, this saga is far from over and we expect these two (along with practically every other mobile manufacturer on the planet) to continue to duke it out in the courts as opposed to in our stores.

You can check out the full PDF of the ruling at the source.

Update: Looks like HTC already has a plan in place to make it all better. Not shocking, but there it is, check out its statement after the break.

Update 2: HTC reached out to us to clarify that the company was not found to be violating a pair of patents, but that it was "two claims in a single patent."

Continue reading ITC sides with Apple, bans sale and import of some HTC phones (updated)

ITC sides with Apple, bans sale and import of some HTC phones (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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InterDigital files ITC complaint against Nokia, Huawei, and ZTE for 3G patent infringement

Michael Gorman — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:46:00 EST

Remember when InterDigital aired its grievances with Nokia before the International Trade Commission several years ago, alleging Espoo infringed a few of its 3G patents? Well, what's old is new again, and the company's filed another complaint with the ITC against the Finnish phone maker, Huawei, and ZTE, too. This time around, the hammer's been forged from seven patents for various WCDMA and CDMA2000 technologies allegedly found in those companies' phones, broadband dongles, and tablets. Reuters reports that, should the federal agency take up InterDigital's cause, Huawei and Nokia will fight the good fight, and we imagine that ZTE won't be rolling over, either. Of course, the ITC has 30 days to start an investigation, so we'll know within a month if InterDigital's latest IP fishing expedition has a shot to yield a bounty as big as it's gotten before.

Continue reading InterDigital files ITC complaint against Nokia, Huawei, and ZTE for 3G patent infringement

InterDigital files ITC complaint against Nokia, Huawei, and ZTE for 3G patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC patent ruling against Apple will stand, Kodak nods approvingly

Amar Toor — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:40:00 EST

July is shaping up to be a pretty good month for Kodak. Just a few weeks after granting the camera-maker a second wind in its ongoing patent battle against Apple and RIM, the ITC has issued yet another decision in its favor, determining that a May ruling against Cupertino will stand. At issue is an Apple complaint, filed in April 2010, charging Kodak with infringement of two patents on image processing and power management. On May 12, ITC Judge Robert Rogers shot down Apple's attack, ruling that the patents were not infringed and that one of them was invalid. The full Court had been scheduled to review Rogers' decision later this year, but that won't be happening, now that the ITC has decided to close the investigation (see the PDF, below). Kodak was understandably pleased with the result, though its focus will now turn to August 30th, when an administrative law judge is expected to weigh in on the company's patent offensive against both RIM and Apple.

ITC patent ruling against Apple will stand, Kodak nods approvingly originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC tells Apple to try competing, rather than suing

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:21:00 EST

Apple has proven, time and time again, that it is not shy about dragging its competitors before the ITC over patent disputes. And, while its fellow smartphone makers have never held back from defending themselves, HTC's general counsel Grace Lei had some particularly pointed words for Jobs and co. regarding Cupertino's latest volley of suits. In a statement Lei said that, "HTC is disappointed at Apple's constant attempts at litigations instead of competing fairly in the market." This is the second time Apple has attempted to block the import of devices from the Taiwanese manufacturer, and the purveyors of all things i are also currently on the offensive against Samsung, GetJar, and Amazon in patent and trademark disputes. At this rate the company is probably spending almost as much on legal fees as it is on the engineers and designers tasked with whipping up its next generation of mobile products.

HTC tells Apple to try competing, rather than suing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple files second ITC patent infringement complaint against HTC

Darren Murph — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:05:00 EST

Nothing like a little legalese to take the edge off on a Monday, eh? Just months after Apple smacked HTC with an ITC complaint, it looks as if the company's doing the same thing again. As if one ongoing ITC complaint against Samsung wasn't enough, the US International Trade Commission is reporting that HTC is being accused again. As predicted, the patent infringement complaint is asking for the entity to block the import of "personal electronic devices" by HTC, but until it becomes available for public viewing, it's hard to know exactly which device(s) ticked the lawyers in Cupertino off. As for the prior tiff? A judge is expected to rule on that August 5th, and those findings are then subject to review by the full commission. HTC's not commenting yet given that even it hasn't seen the details, so we'll be sure to keep you posted as the drama unfolds.

Apple files second ITC patent infringement complaint against HTC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple files ITC request to block import of select Samsung devices

Darren Murph — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:20:00 EST

And with that, yet another punch is thrown. The slugfest that is Apple vs. Samsung is getting uglier by the minute, as each one pushes the other's buttons in a presumed effort to get paid (or get the other to back down). Just as Apple was being told "no" in a request for a preliminary injunction, it's hoping for a more satisfactory outcome from its most recent filing. That one's headed to the US International Trade Commission in Washington, where Apple's trying to block the import of the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab, amongst other Samsung products. The ITC only stated "Electronic Digital Media Devices," but FOSS Patents has found five utility patents and a pair of design patents -- those encompass a grand total of six Sammy smartphones and a duo of slates. Analysts are stating that an outright ban on Samsung imports is unlikely (no shock there), and the most likely outcome here is a "settlement and cross-licensing deal." Mo' money, mo' problems, right?

Apple files ITC request to block import of select Samsung devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC judge rules against Apple in patent infringement case, Kodak smiles

Amar Toor — Fri, 13 May 2011 08:46:00 EST

The International Trade Commission has weighed in on one half of the ongoing Apple-Kodak legal saga, ruling in favor of the team from Rochester. In a decision handed down yesterday, ITC Judge Robert Rogers determined that Apple's allegations of patent infringement are unfounded, adding that one of the company's patents is invalid. At issue are two digital camera technologies owned by Apple. One allows a camera to process multiple photos at the same time, while the other enables users to simultaneously adjust an image's balance, color and resolution. Apple claimed that Kodak illegally used these mechanisms in its Z-series, M-series, C-series, and Slice cameras, in addition to some video cameras. Judge Rogers clearly disagreed, though he won't be able to publicly explain his reasoning until both sides have had enough time to review confidential documents. Rogers' decision will also be subject to review by the full ITC, which is expected to issue a yea or nay on September 19th. A Kodak spokesman said the company is understandably "pleased" by the decision, but it won't have much time to rest on its laurels. On May 23rd, the ITC will announce a decision in a patent lawsuit that Kodak filed against both Apple and RIM, way back in January 2010. Stay tuned.

ITC judge rules against Apple in patent infringement case, Kodak smiles originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia keeps the lawyers well fed, returns to the ITC with fresh complaints about Apple

Vlad Savov — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 06:38:00 EST

Like a desperate suitor unable to take "no" for an answer, Nokia's come back to the ITC with fresh allegations about Apple using its patented technologies without proper authorization. On Friday, the International Trade Commission made an initial determination that Apple wasn't actually making use of five patents held by the Finnish company -- a ruling that has yet to be ratified by the Commission itself, notably -- which Nokia predictably "does not agree" with and is now countering with the addition of seven more patents it believes have been infringed. Those relate to multitasking, data synchronization, positioning, call quality, and Bluetooth accessories, and affect "virtually all products" in Cupertino's portfolio. Rather boastfully, Nokia informs us that a total of 46 of its patents are now being actioned in some sort of lawsuit against Apple, whether you're talking about the ITC, US, Dutch, German, or British courts. As the old saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, send in the lawyers. See Nokia's press release about this latest legal activity after the break.

Continue reading Nokia keeps the lawyers well fed, returns to the ITC with fresh complaints about Apple

Nokia keeps the lawyers well fed, returns to the ITC with fresh complaints about Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 06:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG files ITC complaint against Sony, goes blow for blow

Christopher Trout — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:36:00 EST

Late last year, Sony smacked LG with claims of patent infringement, and now the Korean company is swinging back with complaints of its own. LG reportedly filed two claims with the ITC on February 4th, accusing Sony devices -- including Bravia and PlayStation 3 -- of stepping on eight separate LG patents. We knew something like this couldn't be far behind Sony's ITC filing and accompanying federal court case, and we're equally unmoved to hear LG is firing back with its very own civil suit, recently filed in California. Last year we saw patent infringement suits spread like meningitis in a college dorm, and if this dispute is any sign, we can expect to see more of the same in 2011. Let the litigation begin!

LG files ITC complaint against Sony, goes blow for blow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony files ITC complaint about LG, adds another patent infringement lawsuit to the stack

Sean Hollister — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:22:00 EST

Did the world's tech giants just discover they have lawyers on retainer? That's certainly how it seems, as company after company has decided 'tis the season to target the competition with patent infringement allegations. Sony, the latest, is aiming squarely at LG, claiming that the Korean manufacturer's violating eight patents with its mobile devices -- including the LG Fathom, Xenon, Neon, Remarq, Rumor 2, Lotus Elite and VL600 LTE modem -- claiming that these devices transmit variable-bandwidth audio streams, live-preview camera snapshots, hand off cellular calls and more in ways that infringe Sony's intellectual property. Sony's now filed both an ITC complaint in an attempt to ban new product shipments from the US, and a lawsuit in federal court that will no doubt seek monetary damages. Now, if recent history is any indication, LG will turn around and smack Sony with a patent stack of its own, and we'll all go back to dreaming about LG devices we'd actually care to purchase.

Sony files ITC complaint about LG, adds another patent infringement lawsuit to the stack originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rambus files ITC complaint against just about everyone, wants to stop sale of just about everything

Tim Stevens — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:04:00 EST

Rambus, which modestly describes itself as "one of the world's premier technology licensing companies," has meekly asked the International Trade Commission to block import and sale of an amazing array of products from companies including Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, MediaTek, NVIDIA, and STMicroelectronics -- the latter of which was sued by Caltech only yesterday. But wait, there's more! Rambus also indicates that other "companies whose products incorporate the accused semiconductor products" have also been named, selling things like "personal computers, workstations, servers, routers, mobile phones and other handheld devices, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, motherboards, plug-in cards, hard drives and modems." That should just about cover 95% of what's available at your local electronics store, and certainly puts our holiday wish lists in legal limbo.

This is a follow-up to earlier disputes involving the company, particularly with NVIDIA, which will continue via patent infringement lawsuits filed in US District Court against those corporate entities mentioned above. Beyond that, Rambus is hoping that the ITC stops import and sale of any and all infringing products post-haste. That seems awfully drastic, but for its part Rambus indicates it has been trying with all its might to negotiate licenses with these supposedly dirty dealers and that it was told "the only way they would get serious is if we sued them." So, place your bets because here we go.

[Thanks, Antonio]

Continue reading Rambus files ITC complaint against just about everyone, wants to stop sale of just about everything

Rambus files ITC complaint against just about everyone, wants to stop sale of just about everything originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rambus victorious in patent fight with NVIDIA, can expect neat wad of cash for its troubles

Vlad Savov — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:02:00 EST

So what if Rambus doesn't really produce anything tangible these days? We're hearing the "innovation" business is going really well for the company that recently celebrated its 1,000th patent, and now there's a nice big windfall in its near future as well. The US International Trade Commission has handed down a ruling agreeing with a previous judgment that NVIDIA infringed on three Rambus patents in the design of its memory controllers, with the ultimate outcome being a ban on importing such infringing goods into the country. Of course, that's the one thing we're sure won't be happening, but NVIDIA will now have to sign up for a license to Rambus' precious IP portfolio, which might be a tad bit costly given that GeForce, Quadro, nForce, Tesla and Tegra chips are named as being in violation -- aside from Ion, that's pretty much NVIDIA's whole hardware business.

[Thanks, Marc]

Update: NVIDIA, unsurprisingly, has said it will appeal the ruling. [Thanks, Xero2]

Rambus victorious in patent fight with NVIDIA, can expect neat wad of cash for its troubles originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC's complaint against Apple examined

Nilay Patel — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:09:00 EST

Okay, we've just gotten the full complaint HTC filed with the International Trade Commission this morning, alleging that the iPhone, iPad, and iPod infringe five of its patents and asking for sales and imports to be halted. What's odd here is that HTC hasn't yet filed a lawsuit in federal court, which could mean a lot of things -- HTC could just be banking on the ITC's somewhat faster process to force Apple's hand, or it could be less sure of its patent claims and avoiding the harsher scrutiny of a courtroom in favor of an administrative decision. We can't say for sure what the reasoning is -- but we can read the ITC complaint and break down the claims, and that's exactly what we're going to do. It's all after the break, grab the PDF or check out the gallery and follow along.

Gallery: HTC's ITC complaint against Apple

Continue reading HTC's complaint against Apple examined

HTC's complaint against Apple examined originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC files patent complaint against Apple, asks for ban on iPhone, iPad, and iPod

Nilay Patel — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:58:00 EST

We'd been wondering how and when HTC would respond to Apple's patent lawsuit, and here we go: the Taiwanese phone manufacturer just filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission, asking for importation and sales of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod be halted due to alleged infringement of five patents. ITC complaints like this are pretty familiar territory -- you'll recall that Nokia and Apple have both asked for similar bans in their lawsuit against each other -- but the interesting wrinkle here is that HTC apparently hasn't filed a corresponding federal lawsuit. We'll see if that's the next step for HTC down the line -- for now, we're digging into what patents are involved in the ITC complaint, so stay tuned.

Update: Gizmodo says it has a list of the patents in question, but the actual complaint hasn't hit the ITC database yet, so we can't confirm anything, and we don't know what's being pled with any specificity. We'll let you know when that happens.

Continue reading HTC files patent complaint against Apple, asks for ban on iPhone, iPad, and iPod

HTC files patent complaint against Apple, asks for ban on iPhone, iPad, and iPod originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple / Nokia federal lawsuit put on hold pending ITC investigation

Nilay Patel — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:39:00 EST

We normally wouldn't cover something so procedural, but given the heightened interesting Apple's patent dealings this week, we thought we'd note that Cupertino's tiff with Nokia in the federal courts has been put on hold while both companies argue their case before the US International Trade Commission. We expected the ITC to be the primary front in this fight from the start, but now we'll be particularly focused on the Commission's ruling, since several of the patent claims Apple's asserting against Nokia in this case are also being claimed against HTC. We don't have a timeline on when the Commission will reach a decision, but we'll keep an eye on things.

Apple / Nokia federal lawsuit put on hold pending ITC investigation originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba seeks to prevent Wistron laptop imports to the US

Vlad Savov — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:02:00 EST

Don't you sometimes wish legal squabbles like this actually delivered on their promises? There's pretty much no way that Toshiba's patent claim with the US International Trade Commission will lead to a ban on Wistron imports -- the company builds laptops for Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and others, and will likely settle in cash long before any rulings against it -- but it's fun to imagine the mayhem that would result if such an eventuality were to materialize. A quick look at the rankings of global computer vendors shows that Toshiba is mostly trying to throw a banana skin in front of its direct competitors, claiming as it does that Wistron products infringe on its methodologies for touchpad production and file saving when the laptop loses power. The ITC, should it decide to investigate, will take up to 15 months on this matter, so no breath-holding is advised just yet, though if that settlement does eventuate it should be a pretty breathtaking number.

Toshiba seeks to prevent Wistron laptop imports to the US originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple retaliates: requests US import ban on Nokia phones

Thomas Ricker — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:02:00 EST

As expected, Apple just responded to Nokia's ITC request to ban Apple device imports with a US embargo request of its very own. Notice of Apple's complaint (without any detail) was posted yesterday on the website of the International Trade Commission -- a government agency tasked with protecting the US market from unfair trade practices. As you might recall, the whole Nokia v. Apple legal spat started with Nokia suing Apple for infringing upon Nokia patents relating to GSM, UMTS, and WiFi; a claim later expanded to include "implementation patents" covering a wide range of items including camera sensors and touchscreens. While the ITC hasn't agreed to investigate either Nokia's or Apple's complaints, it is customary to do so with investigations usually taking about 15 months to complete. We'll post more when the details of Apple's patent infringement complaint are revealed.

Apple retaliates: requests US import ban on Nokia phones originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung and Kodak put an end to patent squabbles

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:02:00 EST

It looks like Kodak and Samsung's 'patent squabble' can be attributed to misplaced affection. According to some newly minted PR, the companies have inked a technology cross-license that will allow each access to the other's portfolio. Details are scarce, but apparently Sammy has already made a payment to Kodak as credit towards the royalties it will owe once it dives into the classic imaging company's back catalog. And how about all that alleged patent infringement? The lovebirds have agreed to file joint requests to terminate proceedings and settle their lawsuits against each other, heralding a new era of peace, love, and cooperation -- a great way to begin a new decade, don't you think? Chuck Woolery, you've done well. PR after the break.

Continue reading Samsung and Kodak put an end to patent squabbles

Samsung and Kodak put an end to patent squabbles originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia asks ITC to ban iPhone, iPod, and MacBook imports, files another lawsuit against Apple

Nilay Patel — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:49:00 EST

Looks like Nokia is going all-out in its patent fight with Apple: in addition to the lawsuit it's filed over GSM standards and last week's International Trade Commission complaint, Espoo just filed a second complaint with the federal court, alleging that Apple's infringing several "implementation patents" that cover everything from camera sensors to touchscreens. That's three fronts in the same war, if you're counting -- the original regarding GSM patents, and these two latest over specific device technologies. The biggest bombshell so far is the ITC complaint, in which Nokia's asking the commission to ban imports of basically every Apple mobile product from the MacBook to the iPhone for infringing its device patents -- a strategy we've seen in other high-profile cases. Since the ITC has the ability to move quite quickly, we'd expect that case to be the primary battleground for the moment -- but remember that Apple has plenty of its own incredibly broad patents of its own to fight back with here, so don't expect a quick resolution. Looks like 2010 is going to be awfully good for these attorneys, don't you think?

[Thanks, Matt]

Nokia asks ITC to ban iPhone, iPod, and MacBook imports, files another lawsuit against Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kodak wins preliminary ruling in patent squabble with Samsung

Vlad Savov — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:50:00 EST

Good old December, the busiest time of the year for elves, reindeer, jolly old fat guys... and lawyers, apparently. Joining the rush to make momentous decisions before Santa arrives, the International Trade Commission has made a preliminary ruling in favor of Kodak in its dispute over digital camera patents with Samsung. Though the original lawsuit included LG, an out of court settlement has left only Sammy in the firing line, and this early decision has affirmed that two of Kodak's patents were infringed in the production of its cameraphones. It's still necessary for the full commission to look at and approve the judgment, but considering Samsung's vast range of camera-equipped phones, we'd throw legal caution to the wind and start bombarding the ITC with "holiday cheer" pronto.

Kodak wins preliminary ruling in patent squabble with Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer suing Garmin over three navigation patents

Nilay Patel — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:46:00 EST

Pioneer's GPS products don't make huge waves in the Stateside navigation market, but it's actually got some fairly broad patents on route guidance and mapping, and apparently Garmin's infringing them. That's at least the story Pioneer's telling to the US International Trade Commission, where it's filed a complaint against Garmin and asked for a ban on sales of GPS products that infringe the patents. Obviously that would shake things up in a big way, but we clearly don't have the whole story here -- Pioneer and Garmin have apparently been negotiating for some time, and the two companies are currently fighting it out in the German court system as well. We'll see how this one shakes out -- stay tuned.

Filed under: GPS

Pioneer suing Garmin over three navigation patents originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC rules Samsung infringed on four Sharp patents, bans import of some LCDs

Donald Melanson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:52:00 EST

The US International Trade Commission already ruled in June of this year that Samsung had infringed on one patent held by Sharp, but it's now back with another ruling that finds Samsung violated no less than four LCD-related patents held by its rival. Once again, the ITC has also barred Samsung from selling the infringing LCDs in the US (still not clear on exactly what's affected), but Samsung seems more than ready to comply with the ruling, saying that there will be "no impact on our business and our ability to meet market demand." For its part, Sharp simply says that the ruling has "made it clear that ITC has consistently supported Sharp's claim that LCD products of Samsung violated Sharp's patents" -- Samsung, meanwhile, says it has no plans to negotiate with Sharp on the issue, so let's just hope its workaround is more than a quick fix.

Filed under: Industry, Misc, Regulatory, Displays, Samsung, Sharp

ITC rules Samsung infringed on four Sharp patents, bans import of some LCDs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC rules Samsung infringed on four Sharp patents, bans import of some LCDs

Donald Melanson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:52:00 EST

The US International Trade Commission already ruled in June of this year that Sharp had infringed on one patent held by Samsung, but it's now back with another ruling that finds Samsung violated no less than four LCD-related patents held by Sharp. Once again, the ITC has also barred Samsung from selling the infringing LCDs in the US (still not clear on exactly what's affected), but Samsung seems more than ready to comply with the ruling, saying that there will be "no impact on our business and our ability to meet market demand." For its part, Sharp simply says that the ruling has "made it clear that ITC has consistently supported Sharp's claim that LCD products of Samsung violated Sharp's patents" -- Samsung, meanwhile, says it has no plans to negotiate with Sharp on the issue, so let's just hope its workaround is more than a quick fix.

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

ITC rules Samsung infringed on four Sharp patents, bans import of some LCDs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp LCD panels banned from US import until further notice

Nilay Patel — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:00 EST

Chalk up another huge win for Samsung in its long-running patent dispute with Sharp: the US International Trade Commission has just issued a ruling banning importation of Sharp LCD panels that infringe one of Samsung's viewing-angle patents. As you might imagine, the ban covers a wide swath of Sharp's consumer products, including the Aquos TV line, but it's not clear on how it'll affect other companies that use Sharp panels -- this ruling could potentially have a huge impact on the entire tech market. On the other hand, we'd bet that Sharp's lawyers are furiously putting together a request to have the ban delayed while an appeal is sorted out, so this is far from over -- in fact, we'd say the real fireworks are just beginning.

Filed under: Displays, Samsung, Sharp

Sharp LCD panels banned from US import until further notice originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp LCD panels banned from US import until further notice

Nilay Patel — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:00 EST

Filed under: Displays

Sharp LCD panels banned from US import until further notice originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung / Sharp patent fight gets slightly more interesting, still not interesting

Nilay Patel — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:04:00 EST

You might remember Sharp slapping Samsung with a patent lawsuit back in August, and it looks like relations haven't exactly improved between the two companies since then -- Samsung's just smacked back in the US by convincing the United States International Trade Commission to investigate and potentially bar imports of products containing Sharp LCD panels that infringe Sammy's patents. Filing before the ITC seems like it's the new patent litigation hotness ever since Qualcomm got its toys taken away, since the ITC's only real power is to halt imports, but don't expect to see this get resolved with any kind of swiftness -- lawyers on both sides are probably polishing their wingtips with glee for the inevitable march down to Marshall.

Disclaimer: Although this post was written by an attorney, it is not meant as legal advice or analysis and should not be taken as such.

Filed under: Displays

Samsung / Sharp patent fight gets slightly more interesting, still not interesting originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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InterDigital complaint prompts ITC to investigate Nokia

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:40:00 EST

Remember how Samsung had to shell out a boatload of cash for infringing on InterDigital's IP related to WCDMA technology? Looks like Nokia may have to do the same. Nokia has an agreement in place over the use of InterDigital's 2G tech, but apparently not its 3G, and that's got InterDigital worked up over a pair of patents it holds. They've made enough of a stink about it to get the US International Trade Commission's attention -- you know, the folks that banned Qualcomm's chips on similar grounds -- and it's looking to get to the bottom of the sitch within the next 45 days. Nokia sounds ready to fight, saying that it'll "vigorously defend itself" against InterDigital's claims, which we figure means it has no intention of whipping out the checkbook the same way Samsung did to the tune of $134 million. We'll keep ya updated as this one develops.

[Via mocoNews]

Filed under: Nokia, Misc

InterDigital complaint prompts ITC to investigate Nokia originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clock ticking for ITC to justify Qualcomm chip ban

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:38:00 EST

It seems the feds agree with us that a broad, sweeping ban on little morsels of 3G goodness is just flat-out uncool. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has turned the proverbial hourglass upside down, giving the US International Trade Commission two weeks to justify its partial halt on the import of devices equipped with 3G chipsets manufactured by Qualcomm. The spat originates over a Broadcom claim that Qualcomm's silicon infringes on its patents, and the court system is interested in hearing why the USITC thinks the ban should remain in place while Qualcomm appeals. Intellectual property issues aside, the ITC's cold-turkey ban stands to have a significant impact on carriers, handset manufacturers, and customers (that's us, by the way) as the selection suddenly dries up -- so at the very least, we're hoping everyone affected has a little more time to get their ducks in a row while the patent suit navigates the legal system (please?).

Filed under: Misc

Clock ticking for ITC to justify Qualcomm chip ban originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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