New Skylake MacBook Pros coming in the fourth quarter.
Apple Faces Patent Lawsuit Over iPhone's Battery Technologies
Somaltus, LLC has filed a complaint against Apple today in an Eastern Texas district court, accusing the iPhone maker of infringing upon its 2010 patent related to complex battery technologies. The small Frisco, Texas-based firm also filed lawsuits against Asus, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba over the same patent.
The lawsuit claims that the iPhone 6s and any similar devices sold by Apple infringe upon U.S. Patent No. 7,657,386, titled "Integrated Battery Service System," and seeks unspecified monetary damages or, alternatively, a running royalty on sales of infringing devices from the time of judgment going forward.
The legal complaint's case number is 2:16-cv-00758 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The lawsuit claims that the iPhone 6s and any similar devices sold by Apple infringe upon U.S. Patent No. 7,657,386, titled "Integrated Battery Service System," and seeks unspecified monetary damages or, alternatively, a running royalty on sales of infringing devices from the time of judgment going forward.
Defendant sells, offers to sell, and/or uses telephones including, without limitation, the iPhone 6s (the "Product"), for example, and any similar devices, which infringe at least Claim 1 of the ‘386 Patent.Specifically, it appears that the infringement claim at least partially relates to the iPhone's process of charging in fast-charge mode until the battery reaches 80% capacity, and then adjusting to trickle-charge mode above 80% capacity.
On information and belief, the Product includes a battery service system including a processor (e.g., the A9 chip), which is configured to receive signals from connectors coupled to a battery (e.g., the Product's rechargeable lithium-ion battery).
On information and belief, the processor executes the control codes to continually adjust a charge level to the battery. The Product has a charging system according to which the system operates in fast-charge mode until the battery reaches 80% capacity and then adjusts to trickle-charge mode when the capacity exceeds 80%. When the capacity drops below 80%, the system gain adjusts to fast-charge operation. The purpose of the system is to reduce the charging level applied to the battery at high capacity in order to extend the battery lifespan. Thus, the system adjusts the charging level applied to the battery and does so continuously as the battery charge capacity repeatedly exceeds and drops below 80%.Somaltus, LLC generally fits the description of a "patent troll," as it does not appear to provide any obvious products or services and lacks an easily identifiable online presence. Nevertheless, it has successfully reached out-of-court settlements with automakers like Ford and Nissan in the past in relation to the same particular patent.
The legal complaint's case number is 2:16-cv-00758 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
[ 125 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
14 weeks ago
i honestly dont understand how one can still innovate something these days without falling into the trap of some patent troll.
14 weeks ago
Can we sue Apple etc for their battery technology being utterly useless?
No, but you can buy phones from other companies that meet your needs.
14 weeks ago
Apple faces new patent infringement charges every two days. This is getting ridiculous...
14 weeks ago
That's it; now Jony's just gonna have to get rid of the battery altogether.
Now's your chance, bud.
Now's your chance, bud.
14 weeks ago
How to be a patent troll:
1. Find a technology everyone uses.
2. Create and patent the obvious next iteration of said technology.
3. Wait for everyone to upgrade their technology to the next obvious iteration.
4. Sue everyone.
1. Find a technology everyone uses.
2. Create and patent the obvious next iteration of said technology.
3. Wait for everyone to upgrade their technology to the next obvious iteration.
4. Sue everyone.
14 weeks ago
For crying out loud, this isn't even patent worthy. People had been doing this with manual battery chargers long before Lithium batteries were even imagined.
14 weeks ago
Can we sue Apple etc for their battery technology being utterly useless?
You must still use the first 8GB iPhone.
My 6S Plus 128GB easily lasts all day, every day.
[doublepost=1468351607][/doublepost]
Good, make them stop using it. It sucks. Love having to charge my phone twice a day plus overnight, and I have a 6s so not like it's old.
You are charging it wrong!
14 weeks ago
The patent system either has to be hugely revamped, or thrown out altogether. And I'm not saying this as just a defense of Apple, they play the game as well as anybody.
It's like, without any idea how to actually make one, I could have patented "A rectangle with a screen on one side to be used as a phone' 15 years ago and now sued ALL the current smartphone makers. Just complete BS.
It's like, without any idea how to actually make one, I could have patented "A rectangle with a screen on one side to be used as a phone' 15 years ago and now sued ALL the current smartphone makers. Just complete BS.
14 weeks ago
i honestly dont understand how one can still innovate something these days without falling into the trap of some patent troll.
You can still innovate. It's typically only once you're successful that the troll will come knocking.
[ Read All Comments ]
References to a mysterious "Apple Watch Victory" have shown up on Apple's website in the United Arab Emirates, hinting at an alternate name the company may have considered for the Apple...
Insurance plans offered on a monthly basis from AT&T will soon cover cracked screens, according to recently updated information on AT&T's website (via AndroidPolice). Starting on November...
Apple today updated several of its international websites with iPhone 7 and 7 Plus launch dates, announcing the expansion of the new devices to Egypt, Colombia, Cameroon, Kenya, Botswana, Moldova,...
In a new case that echoes Apple's past struggle with the FBI, the Department of Justice has been granted a warrant to search a home in Lancaster, California -- and all the smartphones inside of...
Apple Music's Beats 1 radio host and creative director Zane Lowe has been announced as a keynote speaker for 2017's South by Southwest music and film festival (via Billboard). Lowe has been...
Smart thermostat company Ecobee today announced the launch of a cheaper "Ecobee3 Lite" device that will deliver Ecobee's expected "superior comfort, control and energy savings" at...
Apple has made its Thai website black and white to honor the death of Thailand's king Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away last week at the age of 88. Bhumibol Adulyadej had served as the ninth...
Approximately 18 million iOS users in the United States have turned on Apple's "Limit Ad Tracking" feature in settings, effectively preventing advertisements within apps from being...
