Apple accused of violating touch-screen technology patents

by Stevie Smith - Apr 9 2009, 15:30

When it comes to the associated fortunes of Apple Inc., some may say that popularity breeds contempt. And, according to disgruntled chip design company Elan Microelectronics, Apple’s popularity can be attributed, at least in part, to an illegal infringement on two of its patents.

In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday against Cupertino-based Apple in the U.S. District Court of San Francisco, Elan is claiming that trend-setting devices including the iPhone smartphone, iPod Touch handset and MacBook computer have benefited from the violation of its touch-screen patents.

Speaking with the New York Times, a spokesman for Elan explained that both companies had been communicating about possible licensing for around two years but were unable to find a common viewpoint, which left the Taiwan-based company with no choice but to pursue legal proceedings.

In terms of its appetite to protect its technology patents, Elan certainly has existing form. Specifically, the company won a preliminary court injunction against American market rival Synaptics after it filed a patent violation suit against it in 2006. Notably, that particular patent is one of the two mentioned in the Apple filing.

In the case lodged against Synaptics, the two parties engaged in a somewhat prolonged battle of ‘sue and countersue’ before settling on a cross-licensing agreement in 2008.

An Apple spokeswoman has said the company currently has no official comment on the Elan Microelectronics lawsuit.

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