Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) won a patent infringement trial against GPNE on Wednesday, as the court decided that the iPhone maker did not breach the mobile technology owned by the non-practicing company, says a report from CNET. Apple has already said that GPNE is a patent troll, and after the ruling the iPhone maker said that it was pleased with the decision.
Apple pleased with the decision
The iPhone maker said that it is pleased with the decision that GPNE’s case was merely an attempt to extort money from Apple for 20-year old pager patents that have expired.
Apple was dragged into court by GPNE in 2011 over two patents related to the technology for communicating across cellular networks. Earlier this month, the non-practicing company urged the court to determine that Apple is liable to pay $94 million for selling iPhones and iPads that have breached the patents. The company’s suit included the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPad Mini. Apple defended itself by saying that the technology was also present in pagers,which it did not sell. The San Jose, California jury ruled in favor of Apple.
GPNE attorney Kalpana Srinivasan said, “it was a hard-fought trial with a tough claim construction in a case in which our firm was hired a few months ago. We strongly believe the judge will address the underlying legal issues in post-verdict motions.”
Reforms needed on patent trolls
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has asked congressional leaders to move forward on patent reforms to reduce frivolous lawsuits by companies that do not make anything and never use the patent for themselves. Entities that buy patents and then earn money by suing the companies for using their patents are called patent trolls. GPNE is one such company, and has filed lawsuits against hundreds of companies, including small businesses.
According to Apple, GPNE has sent over 300 demand letters last year to truckers, farmers, roofers and dairies warning them all of facing legal consequences if the business does not pay them. The iPhone maker said that it invents products that transforms the industries, and is confident over the U.S. patent system will protect its innovations. The company also said that it is requesting that congressional leaders to continue focusing on reform in this important area of intellectual property law.
