“Boston University has sued Apple for allegedly infringing one of its patents to make the iPhone 5, iPad, and MacBook Air,” Adi Robertson reports for The Verge.
“In a suit filed yesterday, the university said that Apple was illegally using its ‘738 patent, which covers a method of making thin gallium nitride film semiconductors that can produce blue lasers cheaply and compactly,” Robertson reports. “The complaint doesn’t specify precisely how Apple is using the patented method, but gallium nitrate films often end up in LED displays. Boston University argues that ‘[Apple’s] acts of infringement have caused and will continue to cause substantial and irreparable damage to the University.'”
Robertson reports, “In return for using its 1997 patent, the university wants Apple to tally the profits it’s derived from the alleged infringement, then hand over commensurate damages and interest on those damages.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Wow, Apple caused irreparable damage to Boston University?
If so, how ’bout just paving the whole thing over? The Boston area can always use some more parking spaces.
The BU attorneys must have a yacht payment due.
Caused irreparable damage…that can be repaired through $xx billion dollars. Grant money must have been cut.
The Damages to the University are real ! You are ignoring all the students who will drop out or refuse to go to school there as long as Apple keeps using their blue lasers.
forget Boston University, wish someone would cause irreparable damage to the Boston Red Sox.
Oh great, another bunch of trolls who’ve contributed nothing, invented nothing, produced nothing, and run a 3rd rate school want a payday on apples dime
Wow it sure took them awhile to figure out apple was “infringing” on their patents. My only question is how does it cause “Irreparable” harm to a university? What? Are students going to choose other colleges over Boston now? You know take out the two o’s, the t and the n and you get what this lawsuit really is.
When socialists run the country, they pad their expense accounts with fictitious bloat and run the economy dry with pet projects that benefit their political cronies while leaving institutions of higher learning high and dry with inadequate funding such that they have to resort to insidious means of excavating for more funds by misappropriating the patents system to bring spurious lawsuits against deep pocketed organisations.
If BU is so short of funds why don’t they ask the federal government for increased funding on educational institutions? Oh right, look at the money that is being pissed down on Obamacare and other socialist boondoggles. Plus they don’t even have the decency to call it rain.
Marxist brain-dead lemming blah blah blah!!! zombies blah liars statist assholes blah blah!!!!! socialist blah blah! card-carrying communists anti-family un-American scum blah blah!!!! … (choke cough spit drool scream of inarticulate rage)
yeah, that’s about right (sans the sound effects.) You’re waking up, I’m so proud of you!
In fact, they will do both, sue for what they can rip off and still seek “grants.” Oh, and they will call alumni several times a year.
BU does have this going for them, though–they are the only school I’ve come across that has the Boston Terrier as their mascot. This, at least, is in the outstanding category.
you forgot the “war du jour.” (also known as “The Evil Infidel Whose Country Is Defended By Brown People With Sticks That’s Violated Lady Liberty This Week.”)
It’s quite impressive how you manage to twist almost every story into a comment about ‘socialism’. In a purely capitalist society, universities wouldn’t sue companies for patent infringement. Well you learn something new every day. You should have your own crazy radio show.
Ship them a box O’ iPads.
Revenge is shipping them a box of Samsung Galaxy’s that give them Hot Pants.
This is a crazy world beyond belief. This news would damage Boston University’s reputation!.
> gallium nitrate films often end up in LED displays
If that’s the basis for this lawsuit, sue the makers of the display components which Apple buys and uses in products. Oh, I guess they don’t have as much money as Apple.
Precisely.
I’m not a lawyer but I believe the purchaser is required to ensure all products that go into a device are legal. I’m sure they can go after the manufacturer of said technology but they may not know who this is. There is also isn’t the same money at that level. If they are looking for cash BU is barking up the right tree.
Huh???
I’d sue the laywers that advised them to sue on this premise for malpractice.
Nice place to crash, but I wouldn’t want to live there.
Why doesn’t apple just buy them?
I didn’t know Apple made their own LED displays. Shouldn’t they suing Samsung or somebody else?
The ipad and iphone have been out for awhile and Boston U is just getting around to filing a lawsuit NOW?????
That alone should kill it. Oh wait, its the US legal system here. Apple is screwed 🙁
I’ll believe in the merit of this lawsuit when I hear that BU, enriched by its new royalties from a settlement with Apple, is eliminating its reliance on federal student loan grants. I’m sorry, but educational institutions are just as venal as corporations or any other tribe, group, or gang run by humans. The game is always the same: we are disadvantaged so we must take everything we can, never give anything back, and wear the halo when auditors come calling.
I’m sorry, but did anyone miss this statement?
“The complaint doesn’t specify precisely how Apple is using the patented method,…’
“In return for using its 1997 patent, the university wants Apple to tally the profits it’s derived from the alleged infringement, then hand over commensurate damages and interest on those damages.”
If BU doesn’t specify how Apple is using the patent method, then Apple shouldn’t even have to respond!
I can nit believe this…
A university doing this? Talk to Apple, negotiate. Sounds really desperate. I guess it’s their patent but this is a really low way trying to settle it… Really low.