Apple Claims Its Former Engineer Helped Invent Tech in Qualcomm Patent

Apple and Qualcomm have been squaring off in courts around the world, and this week, the first U.S. jury trial kicked off in San Diego, California, where Qualcomm's headquarters are located.

During today's legal proceedings, which were covered by CNET, Apple claimed that one of its former engineers, Arjuna Siva, had a hand in inventing the technologies covered in one of the patents that Qualcomm is accusing Apple of infringing on.

qualcomm iphone 7
The patent in question covers a method that allows a smartphone to quickly connect to the internet once the device boots up. According to Apple, Siva came up with the concept for the patent and should be named on it.

Siva was an Apple employee prior to 2011, which was the year Apple released the first iPhone that used a Qualcomm chip. Prior to the release of that device, Apple and Qualcomm worked together for modem chips that would meet Apple's needs. Siva was involved in those discussions and proposed the technology that Qualcomm went on to patent.

Apple claims that while the two companies were in discussions, then-Apple engineer Arjuna Siva came up with the idea that Qualcomm would later patent. Siva, who now works at Google, will testify later in the trial.

"Does Qualcomm believe in giving credit where credit is due?" Apple's counsel, Joseph Mueller of Wilmer Hale, asked Monday.

Qualcomm director of engineering Stephen Haenichen said that Siva did not deserve to have his name on the patent and contributed "nothing at all" to the development of the feature, despite Apple's argument.

According to CNET, Apple's aim with the Siva argument is to prove that Qualcomm is hasty and careless when filing its patents. Qualcomm pays $1,500 to employees for filing a patent and another $1,500 when the patent is issued, which is another point Apple brought up to demonstrate Qualcomm's treatment of patents. Siva will testify later in the week to provide more detail on his role working with Qualcomm back before the first ‌iPhone‌ with a Qualcomm modem was released.

The current trial between Apple and Qualcomm will last through next week and we'll likely see additional interesting tidbits and arguments revealed as the legal battle goes on and the jury tries to decide if Apple is indeed guilty of infringing on Qualcomm technology.

Apple and Qualcomm have been fighting since January 2017, when Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion in unpaid royalty fees. Qualcomm countersued, and since then, the two companies have levied multiple lawsuits against one another. Two of Qualcomm's lawsuits have resulted in import bans in Germany and China, both of which Apple was able to skirt with hardware and software updates.

Top Rated Comments

BornAgainApple Avatar
60 months ago
They just realized this?
Oh, I bet Apple has had this tucked away for some time now, just waiting for the right moment to use it.

Edited for spelling.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Khedron Avatar
60 months ago
His name should have been on the patent? Meaning it isn't. Meaning Apple's point is worthless.

I like Apple's approach of arguing patents should be fair though, since they have plenty of joke patents themselves. They just got one for saying that warming something up helps prevent damage due to low temperatures... in a mobile device.
[doublepost=1551836584][/doublepost]
This seems pretty thin. Either he’s on the patent or he isn’t.

Qualcomm can use the “He who snoozes loses” defense.
I believe it's called "argument ad shoulda woulda coulda"
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ike1707 Avatar
60 months ago
Now there is an interesting twist..
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mattyj2001 Avatar
60 months ago
Qualcomm is known to take a carpet-bombing approach to patents. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a settlement of those unpaid royalties at the end of this, which will probably come abruptly, prior to jury deliberation.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
60 months ago
Are you sure that's still current? My understanding is under the current rules, it does not matter if you invented it, the person who files first get it.
Yes first to file, but only if you didn’t get the invention from someone else. First to file only applies to recently filed patents, of course. But even when using first to file rules, you have to be an inventor and all inventors must be named. If you are not the inventor (because, for example, you stole the idea), you are not entitled to the patent.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
60 months ago
Supposedly there is some sort of email documentation of this.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero

macOS Sonoma Launching This Week With These New Features

Sunday September 24, 2023 12:45 pm PDT by
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 double tap gesture 230912

watchOS 10.1 to Enable Apple Watch's New 'Double Tap' Gesture

Thursday September 21, 2023 12:52 pm PDT by
The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD. The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month. Brownlee shared his impressions...