Displaying items by tag: patents

Accorsing to the site Patently Apple, which is specialized in patent activity from the Cupertino company, the company submitted patent applications for Apple's new gadget. It is a stylus which would be used with their iOS devices, but of course it is not a completely normal stylus.

Two years ago at the time of the first public demonstration of Windows 8, Microsoft filed documentation for patenting appearance and functionality of the Start screen of the OS. The US Patent Office finally approved the request this week.

Options to pay via mobile phones are nothing new, but it seems that Apple doesn't like any of the current solutions. Instead of supporting some of the existing solutions, the company reportedly decided to develop their very own.

Google began their defense from Rockstar. They claim that Android does not infringe patents for which they are targeted by patent consortium  Rockstar who is backed by giants like Microsoft and Apple. According to Rockstar, Android violates several patents for which they are claiming the rights, and besides Google in the lawsuit, there are seven of the company's partners, including Samsung and HTC.

A practice by which the company from Cupertino is very well known is continuing. New technologies are first reported  to patent office and only after that are being implemented. This time, Apple placed an application for a technology with a name that does not tell us too much, „System and method of determining location of wireless communication devices/persons for controlling/adjusting operation of devices based on the location".

The US Patent system is broken. The system has strayed very far from its original intent as a means to ensure that inventors were able to get a return on their work. Now a patent is something to be used to hinder the competition. Companies buy them up and stock them away in holding groups like an arsenal. It is no longer about real innovation and progress, but simply a way for large corporations to bargain and shape the market in the manner that they want. Many times we have seen a company buy up a stock of patents with the intention to attack another or even defend themselves.

Looks like Google will soon get a competition in eye apparel section from the Korean giant Samsung. According to The Wall Street Journal, Samsung in Korea filed a patent application for the glasses that are connected with a smart mobile phone.

One thing that I find sadly funny is when one company accuses another of patent abuse. It is one of those statements that really spells out just how disingenuous most corporations are. However as a rule, most large corporations have people that are paid to mask the truth at least to come degree. In today’s episode of pot meets kettle we find Microsoft accusing Google of patent abuse after winning a victory against Google in court. Google (through Motorola) was trying to get certain Microsoft products banned from import.

What’s this??? A US Senator, John Cornyn (R-TX), is working to introduce a patent reform law that will help to limit the number of suits created by Patent Trolls. Called the “Patent Abuse Reduction Act of 2013” the bill looks to be a step in the right direction at least when considering Patent Holding companies. The problem is that this bill does little to stop or slow down filing obvious, vague, or patents covered by prior art which many of these suits stem from.

Apple is not having a good run of luck lately. They are sagging behind their rival and manufacturing partner Samsung by almost 2 to 1 in terms of unit sales which is hurting consumer confidence in their phone and tablet products. Apple is also probably going to lose their suit with the Department of Justice over eBook Price fixing which will impact the pile of cash they have an investor confidence. To further add insult to injury they are under investigation for their tax policies in the US an overseas. The Apple mythology is crumbling faster and faster while others jump in to pick up the pieces. Apple may even be delaying the launch of new products which is not doing them helping their situation considering Samsung and others have much faster refresh times than Apple can maintain.