Kodak Loses Yet Another Round in Patent Lawsuit Against RIM & Apple

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RIM and Apple have just won another round against Kodak. For the last two years Kodak has claimed that RIM violated their patent for viewing images on a digital camera after taking them. The United States International Trade Commission released their preliminary findings on their website today (PDF). Essentially the judge (not the full commission) has ruled that RIM and Apple have violated Kodak’s patent BUT they also ruled that the patent is invalid “due to obviousness.” Kodak will obviously appeal this since they lost this round but here is the current rundown from the ITC:

Conclusions of Law

  1. The accused Apple iPhone 3G infringes claim 15 of the ‘218 patent.
  2. The accused Apple iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 do not infringe claim 15 of the ‘218
    patent.
  3. The accused RIM products infringe claim 15 of the ‘218 patent.
  4. Claim 15 of the ‘218 patent is invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for obviousness.
  5. Apple has not violated 19 U.S.C. § 1337(a)(1) with respect to the ‘218 patent.
  6. RIM has not violated 19 U.S.C. § 1337(a)(1) with respect to the ‘218 patent.

Isn’t it nice when judges see common sense?

Thanks Peter for sending this one in via CNET

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