Andre Yoskowitz
21 Jan 2012 13:37
Apple has sued Samsung today, again, escalating its already massive attack on the company and its smartphones.
The latest suit is related to the new Galaxy Nexus, which Apple claims infringes on the company's "slide-to-unlock" feature patent.
Apple patented the feature with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in October 2011. In 2006, Apple received a "utility model" registration for the same feature, in Germany. As explained by FOSS Patent a "utility model is a limited fast-track patent that companies are allowed to file for alongside traditional patents, and Apple has done both for the "slide-to-unlock" in Germany."
Because utility models do not carry the "presumption of validity" needed for court rulings, the new case is not expected to be settled soon.