Apple Seeks Bankruptcy Court's Blessing to Sue Kodak over Patents

With Kodak having filed last-minute patent lawsuits against Apple and HTC as it was heading into bankruptcy last month, Bloomberg reports that Apple is looking to assert itself against the pioneering photography company with a new lawsuit alleging infringement of Apple-held patents.

apple old kodak logos
While Apple says in its filing with the bankruptcy court overseeing Kodak's case that it is not required to seek approval for a lawsuit, Apple notes that it is requesting the court's blessing "out of an abundance of caution".

Apple Inc. asked a bankruptcy judge for permission to sue Eastman Kodak Co. over allegations it’s infringing patents that Apple says cover technologies used in printers, digital cameras and digital picture frames. [...]

While arguing bankruptcy law doesn’t prevent the filing of infringement suits against a company in court protection, “Apple requests express authority from this court before it initiates the actions out of an abundance of caution,” the company’s lawyers wrote in the filing.

In a separate case, Apple has been contending that it is the rightful owner of a patent currently held by Kodak. Apple claims that through its partnership with Kodak to produce QuickTake digital cameras during the mid-1990s, Kodak misappropriated intellectual property involved in the project and patented it for itself.

quicktake 100
Apple QuickTake 100, manufactured by Kodak (Source: Time)

Apple last month filed a petition with Kodak's bankruptcy court requesting that Kodak not be permitted to use the disputed patent to secure loans supporting the company's restructuring until ownership of the patent is resolved. The U.S. International Trade Commission has preliminarily rejected Apple's ownership claims, but the case and a parallel federal lawsuit remain pending.

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Top Rated Comments

Spock Avatar
175 months ago
Apple should just buyout Kodak, discontinue the entire line, consume all patents and sell the name. Done.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daverso Avatar
175 months ago
didn't Tim Cook just say they had a more cash than they need, or something like that?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hayman1995 Avatar
175 months ago
Kick them when they're down.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TrentS Avatar
175 months ago
Law Suits

Dang, I should have studied to become a patent attorney.

:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wikus Avatar
175 months ago
That is low.

I thought with the absence of steve jobs apple would become less of a douchey company, but its actually gotten worse.

nice to see apple turn into everything it was against.

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
emaja Avatar
175 months ago
Can we change the name of this website to "AppleLawsuits.com"?

With all the litigation, I feel like it at least deserves its own sub-forum or tab at the top.

:p
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)