RSS
Twitter
Apple Sued Over Caller ID On The iPhone
from the seriously? dept
For all the talk about how Apple patented so many different aspects of the iPhone, it really hasn't stopped a ton of iPhone-related patent infringement lawsuits against Apple. Bill Squier writes in to let us know of the latest. Someone is suing Apple over a patent on the iPhone's caller ID feature. Yes, apparently, the patent covers matching up the phone number of an incoming call with a local contact database to display who is calling. Of course, the patent also talks about a two-line LCD display and a separate receiver, which aren't exactly a part of the iPhone these days.
Reader Comments (rss)
(Flattened / Threaded)
hrmm
I wonder which wireless telco funded this endeavor against Apple. Or perhaps it was another handset maker?
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Does this have weight?
I mean, it seems that the patent litigations are all semantics. So, since the iPhone doesn't have a 2-line LCD display and/or a separate receiver...does that mean that since it doesn't fit EXACTLY with the filed patent, it won't hold weight?
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
You want to?
You want to jump start the current economy? Then realease the patents, all of the...make them public domain. The subsequent feeding and innovation frenzy that's sure to follow will help pull us out of this rut.
Look at the 2 fastest growing economies China and India, its quickly evident how much “innovation” a patent in China encourages. Let loose the tiger of American ingenuity and free it from its current cage of absurd patent litigation in obscure east Texas towns.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Patents are usless anyways
In 1991, I tried to patent something I called the Electro Chemical Generator, which was a means of using water vapor for fuel.
It was refused by the patent office, who called it a perpetual motion device, when it clearly was not, as it ran on proven chemical and physics principles. In my patent application, I listed the potential use was for Vehicles, Homes (heat and electricity), and aircraft.
Sounds fishy?
Ever wonder how difficult it is to get your hands on a patent application that was never approved?
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Unemployed Lawyers
This is what happens when you find a lawyer who is not busy.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Patents are usless anyways
Wouldn't that be a steam engine? Maybe I missed the sarcasm.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Re: Patents are usless anyways
I was thinking the hydro cell that they tested on Mythbusters, but ether way it's not a perpetual motion device.
I would like to know how much my previous 5 cell phone manufacturers payed this guy. They all did this. Hell, my current Verizon phones do this.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
umm
Doesnt pretty much *every* mobile phone do this? Why target just the iPhone?
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Does this have weight?
Keep in mind that you can't patent ideas, only methods of implementing them. If you implement in a different way, there is no infringement. Unfortunately, the wording of most patents is intentionally vague and general to try to get around this.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
RE: Patents are useless anway
Not really. You just have to know a good Patent lawyer that wont screw you....spend about $7k....wait for 2 years....and boom....you got a patent. I own 3 of them and they have saved me $1000ssss in lost profit.
Its all about time and money and I think we have wasted enough of both on this thread.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Same reason everyone else sues MS and Google...
Apple has money... and so does MS and Google...
Ever wonder why they are always the target? It's cheaper for them to just pay them off then to fight it, and they have money to do either...
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Who cares whether 1phone has the money. At the end of the day Apple has made quite a few blunders with iphone. Here is an interesting piece http://technology.millionface.com/2007/12/24/does-rest-of-the-world-need-iphone-reasons-why -iphone-could-flop-world-over/
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Bananaphone
Even my BananaPhone uses that scheme for caller ID...
Unfortunately I never seem to be able to get service, and it never rings, but I'm sure thats how the ID functions...
:P
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Apple needs to intergrate AT&T's Caller ID
Apple needs to add AT&T's Caller ID into the iPhone just like we have on residential lines! Then you will know who is calling you even if they are not in your iPhone's address book.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
iPhone and Apple's infringment
Apple should open up it's technologies a little bit to the world to know and then rest of the world will be more lenient to the company. It has to be give'n take.
Here is a Long list of reasons why iPhone sucks - this list of reasons is really interesting.
Thanks
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Add Your Comment