“Southampton-based touch sensor chip firm Quantum Research Group is taking legal action against Apple over the capacitive sensing technology used in iPod Click Wheels,” Steve Bush reports for Electronics Weekly.
“‘We are suing Apple over charge-transfer technology in iPods,’ Quantum’s CEO Hal Philipp told EW. ‘Some are based on Cypress’ PSoC chip and used in a way we believe infringes our patent.’ The legal action against Apple was initiated in December 2005 but all concerned have been keeping quiet about it until now,” Bush reports.
Bush reports, “Apple recently revealed that it filed an answer ‘denying all material allegations and asserting numerous affirmative defences.’ It also filed ‘counterclaims for non-infringement and invalidity,’ in July. ‘There are settlement discussions going on but I believe it will go to trial later this year,’ said Quantum’s Philipp. ‘I am hoping iPhone does not contain Quantum-patented charge-transfer technology.'”
“Philipp also made it clear that some iPods use a capacitive touch sensor from Synaptics, which does not infringe Quantum’s patents,” Bush reports.
Full article here.
Related articles:
With demand outstripping supply, Apple once again taps Synaptics for iPod Click Wheels – December 05, 2005
Cypress Semi seen boosted by Apple Pod nano growth – September 22, 2005
Oh man…not another idiotic lawsuit….
Apple are better than anyone and everyone knos it. Why else would anyone bother to sue a company unless they are percieved as a threat.
Go Apple Go Go Go Go.
Oh and by the way, the click wheels been around for what 5 or 6 years now. Sheesh.
The madness never ends.
This is the NEW stock market. A company thinks they have a patent lawsuit case (because their Lawyer sharks told them so). But NO, don’t go after them. Wait for the “infringing” company’s stock to increase first. Then when you think their stock has increased in value sufficiently, THEN you smack them with a patent lawsuit. Hey, that’s the modern world. Make nothing. Patent vague ideas. Then set the fly-paper out and see what sticks.
I think this might be a good time to look into the “loser pays” practice used in some countries. If it costs a company like Apple a few million to defend against illegitimate patent claims, and Apple prevails, the next “loser” will think twice before rolling the dice on a frivolous claim.
“‘I am hoping iPhone does not contain Quantum-patented charge-transfer technology.'”
Actually, Mr Phillip, that’s exactly what you *desperately* hope is true.
;P
MW: ‘earth’ (move… under my feet)
Just fucking great. I can hear the MS fanboys giggling now. “Thought Apple patented the clickwheel?” “Didn’t Steve Jobs say he invented the clickwheel at Macworld?”
“‘I am hoping iPhone does not contain Quantum-patented charge-transfer technology.'””
Un what he means is, I hope it DOES so we can sue them for that too since we cant make our own great selling product.
Lawsuits that are frivolous don’t happen to often. The reason? Loser pays all fees. This is the way it should be in the states.
uh… if its really theirs why did they wait 5 years to mention it?
Raymond and Steven,
If only, my friends, if only. Right now we have a major flaw in the US court system.
I agree that “loser pays” would end much of the sue-crazy nonsense that goes on here in the U.S. Of course the argument is that with a loser pays system it is almost impossible for a “little guy” to take on a big corporation or rich individual. While those entities are certainly guilty of throwing there weight around at time, they are also now simply deep-pocket targets for opportunists. I wish a compromise could be found that would protect the little guy’s rights to his day in court while eliminating frivolous lawsuits, but if there is a middle ground I haven’t heard it.
“Right now we have a major flaw in the US court system.”
Understatement of the year. Right now, and forever
mw: down
‘I am very down on the US legal system’
Boy, to hear you guys complain about the lawsuit-happy U.S. judicial system, you’d think you were each being sued all the time. Is it really like that? Or are you just blowing hot air?
A few million dollars here and there for a company like Apple is a small tax to pay to ensure that companies that are fucked by Microsoft have some legal recourse.
I have no idea if Apple stole technology from Quantum or not. Quantum evidently thinks they did. If they did, they should pay for it. If not, they shouldn’t.
Sum Jung Gai,
It IS really like that! Have you watched broadcast TV lately? One can’t watch TV without running across the ambulance-chasing ads from certain groups of lawyers. “Have you been injured in a car accident?” “At work?” The promise of “big money” is implicitly implied. What about lawsuits in our health care system? It’s out of control. Not all attorneys are ambulance-chasers, but our system encourages a “lets roll the dice and see what we can get from __________” attitude (insert “insurance company,” “hospital,” “doctor,” etc.
Lets face it – the American legal system is fucked big time.
It’s full of ‘lets sue’ hungry lawyers that are only thinking about their next big pay cheque to pay for their 2nd apartment in the South of France for their mistress.
America used to be the land of opportunity, wherby everyone had a chance of being successful.
Now all it is is the land of litigation… and unfortunately Europe has also got the ‘litigation lets sue everyone attitude’ now too.
These are indeed ridiculous times we live in…
The US has a legal system.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Best laugh since Zune Tang.
Who’s this Steve Bush? Is he buddies with George Jobs?
The legal system is taxed, certainly. But would you rather have someone tell you that you can’t go to court? This system is misused by large corporations, but it’s also the same system that allows the poor access. This isn’t the case everywhere.
All systems have good and bad attributes.
Sounds like Cypress is the infringing party, and not Apple.
everybody wants a piece of the pie, or in this case, the apple
I vote we put a cap on what lawyers can receive in ANY law suit. The lawyers are the problems in most cases.
As in any country it’s the same in the U.S. We have a system that is – The best justice money can buy.
I’m suing Apple for NOT having a floppy drive. I patented the non-floppy drive personal computer.
Hmmmm,
Hey, the iPod contains transistors and resistors.
Hey we have the patent on those, we want to sue. Forget that you bought our stuff and put it in your machine, we want more money.
And — huh — air, yes I patented air and you are not paying me enough, I want to sue!!! 🙁
This country will die because of lawyers and they will be suing each other to the very end. LOL
Ben Franklin had it right. He said, “First, we shoot all the lawyers.”
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N.
Q. What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea?
A. A good start.