Apple Sued Yet Again For Patent Infringement Over iTunes/iPod
from the promoting-what-kind-of-progress,-exactly? dept
Apple has been sued over and over again by companies claiming to hold patents on some of the most basic concepts found in Apple's iTunes and iPod offerings. However, given Apple's seeming willingness to pay up to settle such suits, it really shouldn't be a surprise that more companies are coming up with even more ridiculous patents to sue over. The latest is from a company named ZapMe which claims to hold a couple of patents that it says covers iTunes and the iPod. Of course the company is demanding an injunction and damages, though it seems unlikely that a court would ever grant an injunction. As for the patents themselves one was granted back in 2006 and the other came earlier this week. The newer patent is actually a "continuation" patent, a process that has been widely abused by some patent holders to adjust older patents to make sure they cover newer technologies. The Patent Office has been trying to put some limits on continuations, but a court recently wouldn't allow them to put the new rules in place. Take a read through the patent itself and explain, please, how this possibly served the purpose of furthering innovation?
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Filed Under: continuation patents, ipod, itunes, patents
Companies: apple
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In my opinion, the patent trolls deserve the worst label. They are absolutely corrupted of the most absolute.
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Filed...
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patent laws abused
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From the article:
While ZapMedia’s business strategy may be suspect in hindsight, they were ahead in the digital media rights game with their 1999 filing of patent number 7,020,704 titled, “System and method for distributing media assets to user devices via a portal synchronized by said user devices”. This was the first of four patents covering all of ZapMedia’s technologies. There have been numerous reports of the potential disruption that this patent may cause in the digital media marketplace, as it appears that Apple (and others) may not have secured their freedom to operate.
ZapMedia Services (successor to ZapMedia Inc.’s assets) has a new business strategy that doesn’t involve a courtroom battle. On March 28, 2006, ZapMedia was granted their patent and has indicated that they are not interested in enforcing the patent rights.
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Spineless Companies
Why a large successul company like Apple chooses to wimp out and pay these ridiculous suits rather than fight them is pathetic and just makes it worse for them and every other company that has the nerve to actually make a successful product.
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These guys make politicians look respectable.
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Patents kill innovation
Companies like Microsoft and Apple get ridiculous patents such as for "Mouse clicks" and Apples "finger or touch gestures" which attempt to stop any other company or individual in expanding on simple ideas.
I say great for anybody that can get something out of these monolith money hungry dictators, but over all the patent system is clearly killing the industry, especially the smaller developments. Future advancements are limited due to the U.S. Patent system.
Don't worry about developing innovative technology! Grab a simple and nasty patent and go sue the ones that are trying to create innovation! Why innovate when you can litigate, decimate and incinerate any opposition! Its the American way!
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Total agreement!
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Total agreement!
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