Tritton Technologies Files Patent Infringement Case Against Apple
On August 30, 2010, a San Diego based gaming technology company by the legal name of Tritton Tech of Texas, LLC and known as Tritton Technologies, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Nintendo and Apple Inc., in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The company claims that Apple's iPhone 4 violates their 1993 patent which covers accelerometers for sensing linear translation along three axes of a Cartesian coordinate system and three angular rate sensors for sensing angular rotation about the three axes.
Patent Infringement Case
The patent that the plaintiff is claiming is being infringed upon by Nintendo and Apple is granted patent 5,181,181 (or simply referred to as patent '181 going forward) which is titled "Computer Apparatus Input Device for Three-Dimensional Information."
In Apple's case, Tritton is claiming that the iPhone 4 specifically, is in violation of patent '181. They claim that it uses acceleration sensors and rotational rate sensors for detecting motion about a particular axis for communication with a computing device.
Tritton is claiming that Nintendo's Wii MotionPlus gaming remote and system using acceleration sensors and rotational rate sensors for detecting motion about a particular axis for communications with a computing device.
Tritton Technologies is requesting a trial by Jury. The specific award they're seeking is unknown at this time. The lawsuit was filed by William Davis, III representing The Davis Firm P.C. in Longview Texas.
This won't hold up. The language is unbounded and will fail.
Posted by: Marc J. Driftmeyer | September 01, 2010 at 02:35 PM
Yes, the abstract describes a mouse, but the claims (the parts that matter) recite "A movable input device for inputting information" and other "input devices" either of which is broad enough to cover an iPhone or a Wii Remote + Wii Motion Plus accessory.
Posted by: Ryan | September 01, 2010 at 09:45 AM
A lot of the patent points to a computer device generally and the end of the patent states: "The invention which is intended to be protected herein, however, is not to be construed as being limited to the particular forms disclosed." That's the legal way of extending technology beyond a single perceived device or purpose. Apple has that in their patents too.
Posted by: Jack Purcher | August 31, 2010 at 01:53 PM
bloody patent is for a mouse with those properties.
Last time I looked iPhone is not a mouse, neither is Nintendo Wii.
Posted by: no | August 31, 2010 at 01:43 PM