One of the key patents in Samsung and Apple’s neverending patent dispute was ‘381, the so-called “bounce back” patent. As you might recall, the patent describes the way in which an iPhone, when inertially scrolling a document, will bounce back when it reaches the top. It’s a little detail, but it’s one of the few patent infringement verdicts Samsung hasn’t been able to weasel its way out of.
Not that that has stopped Samsung from trying, but it looks like the dispute over the famous bounce back patent is finally over. On late Thursday, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh denied Samsung a motion for a new trial regarding the ‘381 patent. Finally.
As you might recall, the bounce back patent was one of the key patents at the center of last year’s interminable Apple v. Samsung trial. Apple accused Samsung of violating the ‘381 patent in over 20 smartphones and tablets; the jury eventually ruled infringement on 18, leading to Apple being awarded $1.05 billion in damages. However, this amount was eventually reduced by $450.5 million, and U.S. Distict Judge Lucy Koh eventually ordered a new trial on the damages to recalculate them.
That’s the trial that Apple and Samsung are gearing up for, which is set to start in November. Obviously, Samsung wanted to reopen the entire issue of culpability, but Koh seems as sick of this case as the rest of us are: she wants to keep the agenda to damages and damages only.
Source: Groklaw
