SanDisk Gets Patent Injunction Overturned A Bit Late

from the but,-maybe-it-all-works-out dept

Fri, Sep 8th 2006 4:06am — Mike Masnick

Earlier in the week, we noted the ridiculousness which allowed a patent licensing firm to get a German court to ban SanDisk from showing its new MP3 players at a major tradeshow, due to a patent dispute. The problem is that the dispute hasn't yet gone to court -- so it seems extremely premature to ban the devices completely (and somewhat pointless to say they can just show photographs). SanDisk's lawyers went to work and got the injunction overturned, but only in time for the last day of the show. Sisvel, the licensing organization is now appealing the injunction, though it doesn't much matter at this point. Of course, on the PR side, perhaps SanDisk should thank Sisvel. It seems like they received an awful lot more press about these new MP3 players than they would have otherwise.

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13 Comments

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Cleverboy, 8 Sep 2006 @ 5:57am

Sucks
Patent weenies.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Sep 2006 @ 6:12am

You Can Sue...
...a Pancake 'Cause it's Flat...
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Sanguine Dream, 8 Sep 2006 @ 6:23am

I wonder...
what the SanDisk player is all about. I must go to there site and check it out. Would never have heard about it if it weren't for this story. Not garauntee that I'll buy one but thanks for the info Sisvel.
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Pope Ratzo, 8 Sep 2006 @ 6:29am

SanDisk makes some great little mp3 players. I've had several (which get passed on to my wife and daughter when new ones come out), and I just bought a 4gig w/ video that blows the iPods away. And it's not so expensive that you're afraid your change will scratch it if you put it in your pocket.

Why is there no mention of Apple (the new Microsoft) being behind this frivolous suit?
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tehdirtaddict, 8 Sep 2006 @ 7:11am

Sisvel, you rock!
Nothing better than free publicity.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Sep 2006 @ 7:28am

Except that it is not really free, think about all the lawyers involved. . .
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Sep 2006 @ 7:32am

Wheres the counter lawsuit?
Please tell me that sandisk is going to sue for punitive damages incurred by not being able to properly show their device at the show.

I want them to sue the court for issuing the injunction, and I want them to sue Sisvel for their practices as well.
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- Anonymous Coward, 8 Sep 2006 @ 10:43am
  
  Re: Wheres the counter lawsuit?
  u sound like a lawer,
  
  SUE SUE SUE,
  
  I am having troubles with my ISP wanabe my lawer?
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Faz, 8 Sep 2006 @ 7:49am

Love it
love lawsuits, get publicity, tells people that oh products outside of apple exist.... wait i have an ipod.. damn it....
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jsnbase, 8 Sep 2006 @ 9:46am

Surely you don't mean....
Techdirt's standard cynicism is confusing me a bit here. Surely we aren't criticizing Sandisk for not forcing the courts to overturn the injuction earlier?
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Lay Person, 8 Sep 2006 @ 9:47am

Sue the bastards!
SanDisk should sue the German court that implemented such a ban in the first place. Not to mention the losses they may have suffered as a result.
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Monarch, 8 Sep 2006 @ 9:57am

You know, I can't find in any article what SanDisk is being accused for patent infringement for. Yes I know it has something to do with Mp3's, but is it for interpretting and playing them on the player, or is it the software player itself, or is it for storing Mp3's? Anyone know why they are being accused of patent infringement? Other that because a Patent Troll says they are?
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Severin de Wit, 8 Sep 2006 @ 11:25am

SanDisk/Sivel
See my IPEG blog (http://ipgeek.blogspot.com/) for those who speak German, the full text of the Berlin judgement, as well as the aftermath ("Sisvel brings Patent Wild West into Germany") on http://ipgeek.blogspot.com/2006/09/sisvels-brings-patent-wild-west-into.html
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