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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Apple Violates Patents Once Held by Sony, Nokia

(CN) - A federal jury found that Apple's iOS devices infringe on three patents held by MobileMedia Ideas, which has gained a reputation in the tech world as a "patent troll."

The Delaware-based MobileMedia wrote to Apple in February 2010, concerning the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, iPod touch, iPod nano, iPod classic and iPod shuffle.

Two months later, it filed suit, claiming that these devices violate 30 claims of 10 patents related to information processing, computing, mobile phones, media-player devices and other technologies. The Delaware-based company claimed to have acquired the rights to two of the patents from a deal with Sony and Nokia in January 2012.

Though a federal judge granted Apple partial summary judgment last month, the remaining claims went to trial that was decided for MobileMedia last week.

The jury determined that Apple does infringe on three U.S. patents and some claims of the '068, '075, and '078 patents.

The '068 and '075 U.S. patents cover "rejecting incoming calls" and call-processing techniques, such as call waiting and call hold services. More specifically, the patents involve how these functions are communicated wirelessly between base stations and landline telecommunications networks.

MobileMedia claimed that the iPhone infringes this patent because a user can tap "decline" or "ignore to decline an incoming second call.

The U.S. '078 patent relates to changeable keys.

In dubbing MobileMedia a "patent troll," critics note that the company makes claims to more than 300 patents but produces none.

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