News
Apple sued over iPhone keyboard
St. Petersburg, Fla.-based SP Technologies has filed suit against Apple, alleging that the iPhone’s touchscreen-based keyboard violates an SP patent. The suit claims “Apple has infringed, and is now infringing” the patent “through the use, sale, [and] offer for sale of its iPhone product and system.” The patent, U.S. patent number 6,784,873 B1, describes a “method and medium for a computer readable keyboard display incapable of user termination.” Physician Peter V. Boesen is listed as the inventor. Boesen was sentenced to prison in May after being convicted of defrauding Iowa’s Medicare and Medicaid programs by filing false claims, but is currently free pending an appeal.
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1
i say he should go after ATM machines then, you don’t get a choice to not use those on screen keypads. or, better yet, the patent office should stop giving disgustingly vague patents. i think i’m going to patent “a device that allows the user to see data through electronic means” then sue every tv and computer manufacturer.
i’m tired of our government wasting our money on these fools. especially one that is directly responsible for the downfall and collapse of our health system and has already stolen from the government.
Posted by RedRavenWing on August 6, 2007 at 9:25 AM (PDT)
2
there really is no Sp Technologies, it is just a bunch of lawyers that prey on big offs and lame patents
lawyers are the lowest form of life (well at least ones like these)
Posted by hydra-calm on August 6, 2007 at 9:32 AM (PDT)
3
Another chance to squash some utter vague, stupid, and completely obvious patent. “Hey, I made something that looks like a folder on a computer screen; I should patent that!” Geez. Let’s round up all these patent trolls and have a bonfire.
Posted by TizzyD on August 6, 2007 at 10:03 AM (PDT)
4
I think I will sue SP Technologies for infringing on my patent for a method of making lots of money from lame and vague patents.
Posted by Rob on August 6, 2007 at 10:21 AM (PDT)
5
woow that made my day,.. another good joke of a good joker….lol
Posted by dennis on August 6, 2007 at 5:17 PM (PDT)
6
===Boesen was sentenced to prison in May after being convicted of defrauding Iowa’s Medicare and Medicaid programs by filing false claims===
Well, as long as the patent claimer is an upstandiung citizen
Posted by Dale Reeck on August 7, 2007 at 5:21 AM (PDT)
7
It’s funny that along with every great device that Apple introduces, there’s someone who tries to sue the company because they “already invented” a technology it uses. What hogwash. It’s also odd that the iPhone was introduced in January, but we’ve not heard of this lawsuit until now.
Posted by Austin on August 7, 2007 at 7:41 AM (PDT)
8
The iPhone wasn’t sold until last month. You can’t sue somebody for a product they’re talking about—only one they’re selling.
Either way, the patent features the following phrase: “The input area has no task bar and may not minimized, maximized, or deleted.” The iPhone’s input area HAS a task bar and MAY be minimized or deleted. This patent describes input that becomes an “integral component” of the interface, whereas the iPhone’s interface is purely bolt-on.
There’s also a bit in the patent which describes the method of construction, and it stipulates the PROGRAMMING languages used to create the interface. Neither of the two mentioned—VB and C++—are used by Apple (they use an ugly little hodge podge called Objective C).
I say if you’re going to sue over patents, sue over vague patents—not ones that are inapplicable.
Posted by dasmb on August 8, 2007 at 9:02 AM (PDT)