In patent news this week, most are talking about Amazon’s famed 1-Click patent finally running its course, but other exciting and unusual things happened too. For a complete rundown of Apple, Samsung, Amazon, Qualcomm, and more, just read on.
Apple Granted Nearly 60 New Patents
Apple is staying busy with their patent applications, as nearly 60 more were granted this week. Some of the patents cover the development of the products themselves, such as metal surface pretreatments prior to electroplating.
Other patents might bring a little more excitement to buyers, such as the advanced telematics system. This will allow for applications in a vehicle, including programmable tactile touch screen displays and other vehicle instrumentation. Yet another patent now makes it possible to initiate calls with biometrics, like the ability to make emergency calls with just the touch of a thumb.
Qualcomm’s Bid to Force iPhone Royalties Rejected
If you’ve been following the epic battle between Apple and Qualcomm (if you need to get caught up, you can check out our article that outlines the basics), you may already know that Qualcomm has lost their latest injunction to force Apple to pay billions in patent royalties.
Qualcomm is having a tough time of it right now, as their struggle with Apple has lead to a sharp drop in licensing revenue, to the tune of $500 million per quarter. While the decision now doesn’t necessarily surprise most, there is still hope. This injunction is just the first step, and they failed to prove Apple was causing irreparable harm. Because they’re still profitable and able to pay dividends to shareholders, Qualcomm must now continue the battle in court. They could still win based on the merits of the case.
Garmin Must Cough Up $38 Million in Patent Dispute
A jury in Texas decided today that Garmin willfully infringed upon Navico’s patents for downscan sonar technology. The outcome now requires that Garmin pay damages of $38 million. In a previous appeals case, the courts actually found in favor of Garmin.
During this latest case, Garmin was found to have infringed upon two patents held by Navico, while the third being challenged was deemed not to have infringed upon the technology. As expected, Garmin will appeal the decision.
Ford Patents Thigh Support Technology
Ford has been awarded a plethora of patents lately, some of which we’ve covered in news and other articles here on the site. The latest takes a step away from self-driving and other futuristic technology to focus on driver comfort.
While thigh support is available in other vehicles, Ford is determined to provide technology in the way of adjustable thigh bolstering at a price point more people can afford. As an added bonus, this new feature—which will hold drivers more snugly—provides additional safety in the event of an accident.
Amazon Patent Finally Expires
And now, the news of the week: Amazon’s 1-Click patent has expired. We’ve already covered the impending expiration, which you can read about here. The result of this patent expiration is, we hope, that other companies will be able to make use of the technology on their own websites without the need for licensing. This, in turn, could lead to higher revenue—revenue that was only available to Amazon for almost 20 years.
We cover the news here to keep you up to date on the latest in the patent world. As you can see, many of the stories this week covered infringement cases. Knowing what’s going on with the intellectual property in your industry helps you avoid infringement while creating products your buyers will love. For some guidance as you navigate your next innovation, give us a call.
