Summary: MASA LLC has accused Apple of infringing its patents with the Apple Watch.
According to Bidness Etc., a “patent troll” has filed an infringement lawsuit against Apple over the Apple Watch. MASA LLC supposedly sent documentation to Apple back in February of 2014, accusing Apple of violating its patents, which were registered in 2013. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch adds that the suit is the first of its kind to be filed against Apple over the Apple Watch.
Apple was ordered to pay $533 million over patent infringement in the spring.
Specifically, MASA LLC argues that Apple has infringed upon patent 8.519.834, which reads, “…contains three independent claims and eleven dependent claims. Independent claim 1, and the claims that depend from it, generally cover a method of receiving and transmitting electronic signals, such as text messages or phone calls, on a vibrating device that can be strapped to a user’s wrists, and alerting a user to the received electronic signal by vibrating the device.”
Apple and Samsung have also been entangled in a patent infringement battle.
Visual information was provided in the documents as well, such as a picture of the Apple Watch Sport with the following definition: “…[a] personal electronic device that [is] coupled to a strap and designed to be worn on a user’s wrist like a wrist watch.” Additionally, the watch is pairable with an iPhone through a Bluetooth connection, which may then receive text messages, emails, and phone calls. MASA LLC argues that Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition also infringe its patents.
Further, MASA LLC even complains that Apple’s user guide for the Apple Watch infringes its patents, and that it also explains to users how to use the watch in an “infringing manner.”
Earlier this year, Apple was sued over storage issues in iOS 8.
In total, MASA LLC accuses Apple of infringing 14 counts of intellectual property. No specific damages have been requested at this time, but MASA LLC will apparently seek treble damages because the infringement was allegedly intentional.
The lawsuit was filed at the Missouri Eastern District Court. Judge Audrey G. Fleissig will review the case.
Additionally, according to Tech News Today, Apple may have trouble releasing the watch in Switzerland, because a patent already exists for the word “Apple.” The company will likely have to wait for the patent to expire in December before the watch may be sold there.
Source: Bidness Etc.
Photo credit: techradar.com