patent infringement News

Williams-Sonoma Lawsuit Claims Amazon Infringes Furniture Patent, Trademark

Williams-Sonoma Inc. sued Amazon.com Inc. in a case that challenges the online retailer’s private label push that started with batteries, baby wipes and phone chargers and has expanded to include clothing, toys and high-end furniture. Amazon’s “Rivet” line includes products …

Supreme Court to Weigh If Government Agencies Entitled to Challenge Patents

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to take up a dispute involving a small Alabama company that accused the U.S. Postal Service of infringing its patented mail processing system and improperly convincing a federal tribunal to cancel the patent. …

Jury Awards IBM $83 Million in Closely-Watched Patent Dispute with Groupon

A U.S. jury last Friday awarded International Business Machines Corp. $83 million in a patent dispute with e-commerce company Groupon Inc. A jury in Delaware said Groupon used IBM’s patented e-commerce technology without authorization following a two-week trial. “IBM invests …

Lyft Faces Patent Suit by Professor Over Ridesharing Model

A retired Georgia Institute of Technology engineering professor described as a “pioneer” in developing the idea of ride sharing sued Lyft Inc., claiming it infringed his patent for technology underlying the core of its business model. According to a complaint …

Supreme Court Expands Patent Owners’ Recovery of Foreign-Based Damages

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that companies can recover profits lost because of the unauthorized use of their patented technology abroad in a victory for Schlumberger NV, the world’s largest oilfield services provider. The 7-2 decision overturned a …

Baseball Pitch Tracking Graphics Caught in Patent Brawl

The virtual strike zone has been a feature of televised baseball games for almost two decades. The graphical overlay shows viewers in real time whether a pitch is too high, too low, or just nicks the corner with a backdoor …

Court Throws Out $530 Million Smartflash Patent Verdict Against Apple

A federal appeals court has thrown out a jury verdict that had originally required Apple Inc. to pay $533 million to Smartflash LLC, a technology developer and licenser that claimed Apple’s iTunes software infringed its data storage patents. The trial …

How Supreme Court Just Made Things Easier for Patent Infringers

The Supreme Court made it easier on Wednesday for U.S. manufacturers to infringe patents held by competitors by manufacturing all but one of the infringing components abroad. The practical consequences could be significant, as could the court’s apparent view that …

Supreme Court Weighs How to Figure Design Patent Damages in iPhone Case

The U.S. Supreme Court last Tuesday signaled a willingness to reduce the potentially huge penalties imposed for ripping off a patented design as it heard arguments in the legal fight over the amount Samsung should pay Apple for copying the …

Appeals Court Justice: Time for Louisiana SnoBall Trademark Fight to Melt

Finely shaved ice. Sugary syrup that tastes like pralines or strawberries or pina coladas. Perhaps a trickle of condensed milk and some whipped cream. The making of a classic New Orleans “sno-ball,” it would seem, is a simple matter — …