Apple has been sued by a Colorado man who believes the Cupertino company’s magnetic Smart Cover violates his 2005 patent for a “Portable Computer Case.” Jerald Bovino has filed a lawsuit in a federal court demanding royalties from both Apple and retailer Target for using his technology.
Bovino’s patent (6,977,809) describes an “integral case” that attaches to a computer in much the same way a Smart Cover attaches to an iPad. It is designed to “protect the portable computer from wear and tear encountered when transporting and/or using the portable computer.”
Bovino’s design also incorporates a retractable strap for easy transportation, and “a plurality of resilient ribs positioned on said exterior surface of said case wherein said resilient ribs protects said computer from wear and tear during the transporting and use of the computer.”
It’s those “ribs” that Apple’s Smart Cover allegedly infringes, according to Bovino’s complaint:
Such acts of infringement include, but are not limited to, Defendant Target’s use, sale, offering for sale and/or manufacturing of the Apple gear and iPad Smart Covers for the New iPad and the iPad 2, which covers have an infringing patented “rib”.
The patent was issued six years before Apple’s Smart Cover came along, but whether or not it will be enough to beat the Cupertino company in the courtroom remains to be seen.
[via paidContent]
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
4 responses to “Apple Accused Of Patent Violation Over iPad’s Magnetic Smart Cover”
Lol soon an owner of Apple plantation farm will be suing Apple for using an ‘Apple’ for its logo
So this guy has something similar to Apple’s smart cover. That does not mean Apple violated the patent.
When I was kid I bit into an Apple and the Apple looked just like the Macintosh Logo and therefore Apple owes me a billion $. Jeez when will this crap end.
Another f..king bottom feeder.
I’ve got ribs. Holy crap, I’m going to be sued!! Oh FFS America. Get a grip and stop acting like the world owes you something. If this doesn’t seem an obvious patent troll, then no wonder the US is gone down the S bend. Change your damn patent laws and let the real innovators do what they do best. America, you are becoming the laughing stock of the world.
Jesus F…ing Christ. I have been in IT for 30 years. If I could sue every computer company for everything I thought of before they did, I’d be a quintillionair many times over. The US patent office needs to change the rules so that you have to have a product either completed or at the very least in progress, not just an idea. The courts need to realize that it is slightly possible that more than one person can think of the same idea and probably will. And these bottom feeders need to have to pay court costs for all the crap law suits.