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Law Professor's Discovery Could Invalidate iPhone Patents

Submitted by Edward Kirk on May 6, 2008 - 9:09pm.
in

Here's some interesting news for those of you following Apple's innovations. We've reported on several patents both applied for by and granted to Apple, but a recent claim from a George Washington University law professor could mean big changes for Apple's patents. He's claiming that all patent judges appointed after the year 2000 were appointed unconstitutionally. As a result, the thousands of patents granted since then could be ruled as invalid.

We're not sure exactly what this is going to mean for the many patents already granted to Apple, but the effects of any rulings on the situation are sure to impact the whole of the US economy. This is especially true for a product as reliant on state-of-the-art technology as the iPhone. Just to give you an idea, check out a few iPhone-Related Apple Patents.

Right now the fate of the rights to the iPhone's technology pretty much lies in the hands of the Supreme Court, and they seem to be siding with the professor on this one. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[via NYTimes]

What is this great discovery...

Submitted by *iPhonelessinVA (not verified) on May 7, 2008 - 7:09am.
...by the Law Professor??? This was left out of the article and I am curious to know. Please tell me it's not one of those Bush haters saying "Bush was selected not elected" tripe and therefore any appointee judge is not legit?

Submitted by ghp2006 on May 7, 2008 - 9:36am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edward Kirk View Post


Here's some interesting news for those of you following Apple's innovations. We've reported on several patents both applied for by and granted to Apple, but a recent claim from a George Washington University law professor could mean big changes for Apple's patents. He's claiming that all patent judges appointed after the year 2000 were appointed unconstitutionally. As a result, the thousands of patents granted since then could be ruled as invalid.

We're not sure exactly what this is going to mean for the many patents already granted to Apple, but the effects of any rulings on the situation are sure to impact the whole of the US economy. This is especially true for a product as reliant on state-of-the-art technology as the iPhone. Just to give you an idea, check out a few iPhone-Related Apple Patents.

Right now the fate of the rights to the iPhone's technology pretty much lies in the hands of the Supreme Court, and they seem to be siding with the professor on this one. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[via NYTimes]
Supreme Court "historically" will side on the legality of the patents "even" if the judges were appointed illegaly. The court does NOT upset apple carts. If we were talking one or two patents that's one thing - thousands are another.

ajm

Link to the NY Times story

Submitted by Stephen007 on May 7, 2008 - 9:45am.
The link to the story is...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/washington/06bar.html

Registration required or (better yet) use bugmenot.com...
http://www.bugmenot.com/view/nytimes.com