Kodak has filed patent infringement suits against Apple and Research in Motion for infringement of patents related to digital camera technology.
The Kodak complaint, filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), specifically claims that Apple’s iPhones and RIM’s camera-enabled BlackBerry devices infringe a Kodak patent that covers technology related to a method for previewing images. Separately, Kodak filed two suits today against Apple in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York that claim the infringement of patents related to digital cameras and certain computer processes.
According to Kodak the company has licensed digital imaging technology to top mobile phone manufactures including Nokia, LG, Motorola, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson.
Discussion
By Slava Apel on Jan 14, 2010
That was long time coming. Kodak's patent inventory covers a lot of that space and you had to be blind not to see the infringements.
By Jim Raffel on Jan 19, 2010
My real concern is that one can patent picture preview technology. At some point I think the whole world needs to take a long hard look at what should and should not be patentable. It's software (or firmware) and should be covered by copyright laws. If someone can figure out another way to do the same thing with different code, so be it.
Seems to me the resources of large companies would be better used for sales and marketing activities than on a stable full of lawyers.
Closing thought: people don't buy Apple products because their patents are better, they buy Apple products because they are better and because their marketing is amazing and innovative.
That's my 2 cents (well maybe a nickel)
By Henry Freedman on Jan 22, 2010
Kodak Government Systems Division worked with
digital cameras for national need years before
the public knew of them.
Kodak does and will make money in digital photography contrary to the public perception
Kodak missed the digial camera market.
The recent Kodak legal success at LG and Samsung implies that Apple and RIM may be in for a fight.
Yes Apple designs and markets technology well.
I guess if you don't have to create the technology and focus on design and marketing
you have an advantage.
You better be certain that you don't take
the property of others while you make your money designing and marketing.
Kodak paid Polaroid $1 Billion in the 1980's
for using the property of others and if their patents hold, Kodak deserves to take their share.
This taking ocurs at a crtical time for Kodak
as they plan to launch their Prosper Press line.
If the patent money keeps arriving then we will
see a stable Kodak with better and higher speed game changing digital press equipment in 2010.
Nice to see the imaging side of the world taking from the consumer electronics and
telecommunications side oif the world.
Discussion
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