News

Quantum Research Sues Apple Over Click Wheel Technology

Monday, January 22nd, 2007 at 10:50 AM - by

Quantum Research Group has filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc. claiming that the iPod maker is infringing on a capacitive sensing technology patent it owns. The case was filed in December 2005, but Electronics Weekly reports that both Quantum Research and Apple have kept the case under wraps until now.

The patent in question describes a way of using capacitive sensing to tell when and where a surface is being touched. Quantum Research CEO Hal Phillipp commented "We are suing Apple over charge-transfer technology in iPods. Some are based on Cypress' PSoC chip and used in a way we believe infringes our patent."

Apple filed counterclaims for non-infringement and invalidity in July 2006, and also recently filed an answer "denying all material allegations and asserting numerous affirmative defenses."

Mr. Phillipp said that settlement negotiations are ongoing, but that he expects the case to go to trial later in 2007.

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Intruder said:

member since 07 Jul 2004 with 2970 posts, TMO Mac Specialist, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:49 pm

Way to go, guys! You waited until almost 2 years after the first click-wheel iPod came out to sue! (Jan '04 to Dec '05). A judge certainly won't see that as going after money!

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:53 pm

What a bunch of cocka! Come on, if this isn't a get rich lawsuit I don't know what is. It's another SCO scam.

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Rainy Day said:

member since 07 Jun 2005 with 607 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:50 pm

It’ll go to trial just about when Apple will begin to phase out click-wheel technology in it’s iPods.

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Jonkun227 said:

member since 02 Mar 2004 with 238 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:38 am

Guest wrote:
What a bunch of cocka! Come on, if this isn't a get rich lawsuit I don't know what is. It's another SCO scam.
How about two guys suing a church and the Boy Scouts because someone molested them 25 YEARS AGO?

Don't get me wrong; I have tremendous respect and empathy for victims of abuse. Not a day goes by that we don't deal with effects of the abuse my wife suffered at the hands of her grandfather nearly 20 years ago. But to accuse their church and the BSA, and seek $6.5M in damages?

I really get sick of stories like these where one person thinks s/he can get rich off of someone else's work. Had Quantum filed suit in a timely manner I would be understanding. But two years?

Call me crazy but I believe in earning my living. Speaking of which, I should get back to work...

- Jon

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