Acer countersues HP in PC patent row
HP: You're a patent infringer. Acer: I know you are but what am I?
A patent dispute between Acer and Hewlett-Packard just got a little more litigious as the Taiwan-based computer giant parries two lawsuits filed by HP with a counterclaim of its own.
Four months ago, HP filed a lawsuit in Texas federal court against Acer for alleged infringement of five US patents related to processor tweaks, power-consumption technology and DVD editing tools.
A month later, HP filed yet another lawsuit against Acer, alleging five more patent shenanigans. The patents involved power consumption, bus operations, resolution detection and two concerning temperature management in laptops and desktops.
Acer responded by suing its suppliers Hon Hai, Quanta and Wistron — claiming it is in their contract to help defend against HP.
On Thursday, Acer filed a counterclaim against HP. In the court documents, Acer denies having violated HP patents, and asserts that instead HP has violated patents issued to the Industrial Technology Research Institute, to which Acer holds the rights. The patents in question involve antenna and DVD ROM head technologies.
"With or without a legal proceeding, Acer persists to take all necessary steps to protect and enforce its patented technologies," Acer said in a statement. ®
Bootnote
For a rundown on the case thus far, we have provided a flowchart:
COMMENTS
Nice flowchart!
I spilled my drink when I saw this schematic, I've just done one flowchart in powerpnt that looked pretty much like this one.
Great job...
Meanwhile, in Marshal
Folks are becoming more and more literate about technology and patent law. I wonder how much longer before they run out of jury pools. That area of East Texas just isn't that populous.
well done
on the flowchart, but i do have one question
Where was the iPhone, or even Paris Hilton WITH a iPhone?
Joking aside more of this kinda thing, how knows whats next BOFH the comic
(Heh-heh)
I thought they were duking it out over the patent for 'lowball prices' or 'slick wet-look' laptop shells. I see nothing else inspired from either of them(?!)
Flowchart
Excellent! I hope to see more illustrations such as this.
