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No-name firm files suit against Apple and other handset makers for patent infringement

Categories: Apple, AT&T, Helio, HTC, Motorola, Palm, Verizon
By: , IntoMobile
Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 at 1:25 PM

Apple involved in new lawsuit from AutoText TechnologiesIn our land of the lawsuit-friendly legal system, it’s no surprise that we’re hearing of another no-name company coming out of the woodwork with a patent-infringement case. The latest patent-infringement suit comes from Delware-based AutoText Technologies.  A 32-page complaint was filed against 23 companies that AutoText Technologies claims infringed on a 1994 patent for a computer-based transcription device. Apparently, the AutoText patent covers any device made in the US with a display, keyboard, storage for vocabulary, and method for sorting keywords by frequency.

Apple has been named in the suit for infringing on AutoText Technologies with Mac OS X Tiger, the Safari web browser, and related products. Other high-profile companies named in the suit include HP, IBM, HTC, Motorola, Palm, Microsoft (for its Windows Mobile 6 OS), and carriers like AT&T, Helio, and Verizon. Game console manufacturers Nintendo and Sony have been named in the suit for their Wii and PlayStation 3 systems, respectively.

AutoText Technologies is seeking a a minimum of a royalty from each company and is seeking damages.

Good luck, AutoText. We don’t have high-hopes for your case – we’re thinking you might get a settlement out of some of the bigger players. But, that’s what you were going for in the first place, wasn’t it?

[Via: Apple Insider]

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • manpan

    Okay this is probably a frivulous lawsuit I mean come on why did they wait so long to file their lawsuit — if it affects other phone makers why did they wait till Apple made iPhone to file the lawsuit — they could have just extended the suit later to cover iPhone.

    Some of these suits are without merit. Even if it is then so what most companies will settle out of court if they can.

  • Will Park

    Right. These kinds of lawsuits are just looking for some sort of settlement.