Apple's can once again go after Motorola Mobility using two of its multi-touch patents, an appeals court said on Wednesday. August 7, 2013 9:47 AM PDT Apple's legal efforts against Google-owned Motorola Mobility were given a second chance on Wednesday. In a ruling, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit weighed in on an earlier decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission, reversing some of its findings. The decision, which puts two multi-touch patents back in play, means Apple can once again go after Motorola for patent infringement -- all with the hopes of getting some of its devices banned for sale in the U.S. Apple originally lodged its ITC complaint against Motorola in October 2010, alongside two lawsuits. In its complaints, Apple alleged that Motorola's Droid, Droid 2, Droid X, and a handful of other smartphones and related software violated several of its patents. Apple's complaint followed one from Motorola that claimed Apple was violating 18 of its patents with its smartphones and other mobile devices. The ITC found no infringement following its investigation, which was finalized and closed last March. Apple appealed the dismissal a month later. The ruling comes just days ahead of when Apple is set to argue a separate patent case against Samsung in the same court. That case centers on the decision made almost a year ago when the two companies went to trial in a San Jose, Calif. court, leaving Samsung on the hook for more than $1 billion in damages. Google announced plans to purchase Motorola for $12.5 billion in 2011, a deal that was believed to help shield Android from lawsuits thanks to Motorola's patent portfolio. The most recent development on that front has instead been hardware like the recently-announced Moto X smartphone. (via Foss Patents)
Apple's can once again go after Motorola Mobility using two of its multi-touch patents, an appeals court said on Wednesday.
Apple's legal efforts against Google-owned Motorola Mobility were given a second chance on Wednesday.
In a ruling, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit weighed in on an earlier decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission, reversing some of its findings.
The decision, which puts two multi-touch patents back in play, means Apple can once again go after Motorola for patent infringement -- all with the hopes of getting some of its devices banned for sale in the U.S.
Apple originally lodged its ITC complaint against Motorola in October 2010, alongside two lawsuits. In its complaints, Apple alleged that Motorola's Droid, Droid 2, Droid X, and a handful of other smartphones and related software violated several of its patents. Apple's complaint followed one from Motorola that claimed Apple was violating 18 of its patents with its smartphones and other mobile devices.
The ITC found no infringement following its investigation, which was finalized and closed last March. Apple appealed the dismissal a month later.
The ruling comes just days ahead of when Apple is set to argue a separate patent case against Samsung in the same court. That case centers on the decision made almost a year ago when the two companies went to trial in a San Jose, Calif. court, leaving Samsung on the hook for more than $1 billion in damages.
Google announced plans to purchase Motorola for $12.5 billion in 2011, a deal that was believed to help shield Android from lawsuits thanks to Motorola's patent portfolio. The most recent development on that front has instead been hardware like the recently-announced Moto X smartphone.
(via Foss Patents)
