Apple Settles Yet Another iTunes Interface Patent Suit

from the settling-all-patent-disputes dept

Fri, Sep 1st 2006 12:26pm — Mike Masnick

Hot on the heels of Apple's decision to settle with Creative over a patent on the basic interface for finding music on your iPod, Apple has also settled another patent claim concerning a patent for a computer-based system and user interface for media playing devices. Yes, that's basically patenting the interface for playing music on a computer system. The owner of the patent claims that Apple must have stolen the idea when they saw him present it at a tradeshow. Though, of course, another possibility is (dare we say it?), the idea is just incredibly obvious. Either way, it looks like Apple is trying to settle all the various patent cases concerning iPod/iTunes interfaces just to get them out of the way. No word on whether or not this settlement lets Apple reduce how much it pays if the patent owner successfully gets others to license the patent.

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15 Comments

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Charon, 1 Sep 2006 @ 12:40pm

WTF..
Our patent system seriously needs to be reformed. But before it changes Im going to patent walking one foot in front of the other so everyone will have to pay me to walk anywhere. Ill be rich!
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Data Plumber, 1 Sep 2006 @ 12:50pm

Re: WTF...
You can't patent walking, duh! People have been doing that forever.

Now, walking WHILE CARRYING A COMPUTER is clearly a patentable new idea...
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genius, 1 Sep 2006 @ 1:14pm

Re: Re: WTF...
I think that I will patent rubbing one out while looking at porn on a computer.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Sep 2006 @ 1:18pm

I'm going to patent patents. I'm also going to patent the patenting of patents. Then I'm going to patent patent-reform. I think I am going to patent the discussion of patenting between people on any comunications device (not just electronic, all of them).
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Sep 2006 @ 1:19pm

wait. what are patents again?
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Sep 2006 @ 1:24pm

Just patent data changing sound waves form analog to digital and digital to analog so you will get both the recording and playback ends of things. While at it you should work on a patent for a device that absorbs all light frequencies except for the ones that you want represented that way you will be able to go after all persons that makes a device that you can see.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Sep 2006 @ 1:36pm

brilliant!
i now own the patent for responding to posts on blogs! HA! PAY ME NOW BITCHES!!!!
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Sep 2006 @ 1:38pm

hell
i also just patented blogging... and using not entering a name for blogs resulting in an anonymous coward post... so, uh, techdirt [cough cough] ... my money?
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Gabriel Tane, 1 Sep 2006 @ 1:42pm

New USPO department
There needs to be a new department for handling these kinds of patent applications...

Ready for it?...

The Dee-Dee-Department.

Yes. Thank you. Thank you.

(PS. Sorry if that's not as funny as I think it is. Sleep dep. Meh.)
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Year, 1 Sep 2006 @ 2:28pm

Rising Patent Stats
Is this trend going to continue?

http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/annual/2005/060406_table6.html
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Sep 2006 @ 4:15pm

#9 reply
Dee-Dee-Department??

why is that funny????
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Scottux, 1 Sep 2006 @ 5:44pm

Dee-Dee-Department
It should be the Dee-Dee-Dee Department.
And Carlos Mencia probably holds the patent on that, or at least could win a patent case.

This is ridiculous.
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Anonymous Fool, 2 Sep 2006 @ 10:36pm

Hehe
I think I'll patent "walking with a portable music device"... Nokia, Vodafone, and Apple will owe me billions!
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Sep 2006 @ 5:27am

How about patenting the proccess of filing a lawsuit against someone for inringing on a patent and/or copyright?
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Gabriel Tane (profile), 5 Sep 2006 @ 6:18am

I've got the trump
Since having a hand in the creation or innovation of something (apparently) isn't a requirement to own the patent on it, I'm going to patent the process of a neuron firing. Hell, someone else already patented a chemical process that occurs in nature, so why can't I? OOOOhhhhhh the money I'd be owed.

Oh... crap. Neurons don't fire that much anymore, do they. Damnit. Another great idea defeated by humanity.

Oh, sorry 'bout the Dee-Dee-Dee thing. I thought that since "department" started with "de", that it could replace the last "dee". And as I said... it was funny in my mind, but I was enjoying the thrills of sleep dep.

Hmm... maybe I can patent the satirical application of Dee-Dee-Dee to other situations.
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