Apple vs HTC- a business law case study

Apple vs HTC

Patent Violation Case

Manju A. ThomasIst Year MBA-DMS

 PATENT #5,946,647

a patent that was issued all the way back in 1999 for Apple.

“data tapping patent” The method used by which your phone

can automatically "see" an address or phone number on a web page or e-mail and send you to the appropriate app.

THE CULPRIT

HTC, a Taiwanese phone manufacturer uses this technique patented to Apple, in number of its devices.

Complaint filed by Apple Inc, on Apr. 6, 2010 with the U.S. International Trade

Commission.

U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION The United States International Trade

Commission is an independent federal agency that, among other things, adjudicates cases involving imports that allegedly infringe intellectual property rights." It has the power, in rare cases, to ban infringing products from the country entirely. 

VERDICT ON DEC 2011

The ITC ruled that HTC infringed on a patent related to "data tapping" that occurs at the system level in android.

A violation of section 337 of Tariff Act of 1930

Banned the importation and sales of HTC devices having this technique, starting April 19th, 2012.

WHAT HTC HAD TO SAY?

“While disappointed that a finding of violation was still found on two claims of the ‘647 patent, we are well prepared for this decision, and our designers have created alternate solutions for the ‘647 patent.”

No wonder their tagline says,