Apple Handed The Motherboard of All Patent Lawsuits [Blip]

Another day, another patent lawsuit. Today's below-bridge dwelling plantiff is Taiwanese company VIA.

VIA has filed suit against Apple claiming infringement of three patents they own. The patents in question are: US Patents Nos. 6253312, Method and apparatus for double operand load, and 6253311 & 6754810, Instruction set for bi-directional conversion and transfer of integer and floating point data.

Company CEO, Wenchi Chen says "We are determined to protect our interests and the interests of our stockholders when our patents are infringed upon." Hopefully the new patent law signed by the president will put an end too, or at least slow down these sort of antics.

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Did Apple Just Patent Xbox Kinect? [Apple]

Apple was just awarded a whole mess of patents by the USPTO. But one stands out in particular: a 3D display and imaging system. Wave your hands and the system picks up your movement. Sort of like the Xbox Kinect. Or, uh, exactly like the Xbox Kinect.

The system described in Apple's patent would use a projector with a scanning beam that picks up your movements via a receiver, shown as a secondary device. Your movements are transferred to the system and a user can interact in a virtual space using their body as their only input device:

To be effective, it is also important that such devices be capable, when desired or necessary, of economically but effectively and precisely providing feedback to the user. Thus, such devices should incorporate audio and/or visual mechanisms for reporting to the user the effects and results of the 3D input.

Sound familiar?

Apple does point out that the projector could be used to show holographic imagery, something the Kinect doesn't currently do—well, officially anyway. Think Minority Report meets Kinect.

The patents also indicate Apple's intention to employ the technology in a wide range of applications including medical diagnostics, entertainment, flight simulation, robotics, gaming, and (everyone's favorite 90's buzzword) virtual reality. Microsoft currently uses the tech to make out-of-shape people dance in their living room.

What does this all mean, though? If you'd asked a year ago, I would've said at worst it meant that Apple wouldn't want much more than some licensing fees out of this. But given how aggressively the company's gone after its Android competitors? A little harder to say. [Patently Apple]

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Apple Wants to Halt All Motorola Patent Lawsuits [Patent Wars]

One of Apple 3rd Reich's patent war fronts is Motorola. Out of desperation, Motorola sued Apple first; then Apple sued Motorola. Now, Apple has asked the court to halt all Motorola patent suits, alleging they can't defend themselves.

Since Motorola is in the process of being acquired by Google, Apple says that they don't have standing to sue them anymore because that would be a job for the company buyer, Google. Right now, if the Google-Motorola deal goes through, Apple always loses. If Motorola wins, Apple would lose a lot of money in the process to a company that doesn't have a standing anymore. And if Apple wins, they could be sued by Google again. [TechCrunch]

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Court Rules Galaxy Tab 7.7 Can't Even Be Shown on Germany's IFA Show Floor [Patent Wars]

Will the Galaxy Tab 7.7's svelt size topple the iPad? Probably not, at least in Germany, where Apple's lawsuit against Samsung has resulted in the pulling of the tablet not only from store shelves, but the IFA floor as well.

It's true! Bloomberg reports that a new injunction from the Düsseldorf Regional Court has mandated the Galaxy Tab 7.7 be pulled from the Samsung German web site as well as from the trade show floor at the IFA conference. All demo units, marketing materials and signage have been yanked from the show floor as well. [Bloomberg Galaxy Tab 10.1 Image: Bloomberg]

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Latest Apple Voice Patent Could Make the iPhone Nearly Hands-Free [Blip]

Apple iPhone voice command technology rumors are nothing new, but a new patent uncovered over at CNET borders on Star Trek LCARS computer-level complexity. Want to play a track with four stars and make a Genius playlist? Just ask. [CNET]

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Could the President End up Prolonging this Patent Nightmare? [Patents]

What with companies suing each other into infinity right now, one can see that our patent system is broken. But companies can also appeal to the International Trade Commission to rain the import ban hammer down on their enemies. Only the President could stand stand in their way.

But only if shit really hits the fan. Right now, companies like Apple, Google, Samsung, and HTC can also sue each other in attempt to impose injunctions on their products, effectively banning their products from being sold. We just saw it in the Netherlands between Apple and Samsung. Here, it's a tad more difficult. However, by dealing with the ITC, companies can have infringing products blocked from import altogether. Which is a scary prospect for any company.

The President could put a stop to that by effectively waving his hand and waiving any decision the ITC makes to that effect. Which would be great if there's any doubt about the censured company infringing in any way. But if a company's in the wrong, they're in the wrong. Sending them back into litigation isn't going to find any other conclusion. It'll only waste time. It hurts, but companies should be moved to innovate. This is one move Obama shouldn't make. [WSJ]

Photo Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

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