Hasta La Gadget!

Here’s a quick refresher on HTC’s legal battle against Apple: the company’s launch of the One X and EVO 4G LTE in the United States was stalled briefly thanks to an import ban handed down by the ITC after the handsets were found to infringe on one of Apple’s patents. Now, in a second case involving the ITC, HTC has had to remove a crucial patent, bringing its total claims down from 8 to 2.

FOSS Patents reports that HTC withdrew another patent from its ITC case against Apple on Monday, #7,765,414. The patent relates to a “circuit and operating method for integrated interface of PDA and wireless communication system[s].” HTC originally brought a complaint against Apple in August 2011, citing three patents at first, then adding five given to the company on loan from Google. The judge in the case threw those loaned patents out in June, however, leaving HTC with its original three.

The withdrawal of this latest patent means HTC is now only asserting two claims against Apple in its ITC complaint. Apple, meanwhile, is claiming that FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms) is being blatantly abused, and is counterclaiming against HTC in US District Court over two other patents. Patent #7,765,414 was HTC’s only in-house patent, with its others borrowed from other companies such as Google and ADT. The trial in this particularly case is due to start within the next month.

It’s not the first time HTC has tangled with Apple and the ITC. Back in June, Apple secured an import ban against the HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE, as both handsets were found to infringe on one of Cupertino’s patents. HTC quickly issued a software fix to remove the offending functionality, relating to menu context items, allowing the phones back into the United States. Apple cried foul, however, and still asserts that multiple HTC phones still infringe on its patents.

HTC removes patent in ITC case against Apple is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Kodak might be cleared to sell its patents, but it’s likely no fan of the companies lined up to make a deal. The Wall Street Journal‘s best friends, “people familiar with the matter,” assert that Apple and Google are part of separate coalitions hoping to buy the 1,100 patents up for grabs. Apple’s camp supposedly includes Microsoft and controversial patent holder Intellectual Ventures; Google’s team reads more like an Android Justice League, with HTC, LG, Samsung and “patent risk solutions” provider RPX all playing a part. Real or not, there’s still much that’s up in the air. Kodak’s not talking, and even the touted insiders warn both of new challengers and allegiances that could be in flux over the next few days. If there’s meat on this rumor bone, however, it could make the August 8th auction another patent war spectacle rather than a mere ticket back to solvency for Kodak. Break out the popcorn.

[Image credit: Pittaya Sroilong, Flickr]

Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras

WSJ: Apple, Google reportedly in rival groups to buy Kodak patents originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has applied for yet another patent with the US Patent Office, but instead of smartphone-related features, this patent covers high-resolution display in video glasses. The timing may seem suspect, what with Google’s current Google Glass push going strong, but Apple has actually been filing patents related to video glasses since 2006. Indeed, this is nothing new for Apple, and with this latest patent application, it seems that the company is getting closer to achieving what it ultimately wants: bringing a retina-like display to the smaller screen you’d find in video glasses.

PatentlyApple points out that this display would feature both a smaller screen and a smaller battery than the ones featured in the iPhone, something that could cause some challenges for Apple if it’s looking to boost pixel density in the heads-up display. Also worth noting is that fact that Apple’s patent application states “other embodiments may take the form of other types of display devices such as television sets, computer monitors, projection systems, and so forth,” so it isn’t looking to restrict this technology to just video glasses.

With as strange as that patent drawing pictured above looks, it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t a design patent. Apple likely just came up with some concept drawings to submit with the application, and will probably work a little bit harder on the design of final product before shipping it. Still, this is a pretty exciting development, as it seems that everyone wants a bit of the video glasses pie. Stay tuned, because this could get interesting very quickly.

Apple files patent application for high-resolution display in video glasses is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s almost been a year since Google purchased Motorola Mobility for the princely sum of $12.4 billion, but how much of that was for the intellectual property? The Wall Street Journal reports that a regulatory filing for the purchase has revealed that around $5.5 billion of the purchase was for Motorola’s extensive patent portfolio. The filing also goes into detail about how Google arrived at the $12.4 billion price tag for Motorola Mobility.

Essentially, Google bought all the outstanding shares in the company, along with all the vested stock options and restricted stock units. Google then added $401 million for unvested stock options, with transaction costs accounting for $50 million. Out of the $12.4 billion total purchase price, $2.9 billion was for Motorola’s cash, $5.5 billion was patent related, $2.6 billion was a goodwill gesture upon sale completion, $730 million went to customer relationships, and $670 million to other net assets.

Google may now own all the relevant intellectual property and hardware side of Motorola Mobility, but the company still hasn’t announced any plans to leverage Motorola in any way. Google has stressed that the two companies will be separated by a firewall, and Android hardware such as the Nexus line won’t be influenced by the purchase. So far that seems to ring true, with Google’s 7-inch tablet being manufactured by ASUS, and future versions of Android have been promised to manufacturers via a PDK to spur early updates. Still, Google is remaining coy about its plans for Motorola in the future, which may still be a cause for concern for partners like Samsung and HTC.

Google valued Motorola’s patents at $5.5bn is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Did you hear about the latest Apple versus Samsung patent development in [INSERT COUNTRY]? Judge [INSERT NAME] ruled that [Apple/Samsung] had to stop selling [INSERT PRODUCT] because it infringed on [Apple/Samsung]’s patent on [INSERT VAGUE TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION]. You didn’t hear? Well who can keep up anyway? For those who need a refresher, here’s one of Apple’s basic claims against Samsung boiled down into a single image posted by AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski. Before the iPhone, Samsung smartphones were ugly and horrible. After the iPhone, they’re beautiful iPhone clones. Case closed? Someday, someone will decide for sure. [Twitter] More »