AfterDawn: News

ITC to investigate RIM and Apple smartphones after Kodak complaint

The International Trade Commission (ITC) will investigate a complaint made by Eastman Kodak Co. related to smartphones made by Apple and Research In Motion, the body announced on Wednesday. "The products at issue in this investigation are smartphones with built-in cameras," the agency said in a statement. The Kodak complaint was filed with the ITC on January 14th this year, while Kodak filed two lawsuits against Apple for patent infringement on the same day.

The patents in question relate to the image preview and image size functions of digital cameras and other things. Kodak is seeking compensation for the use of its technology, and is open to talks with Apple and RIM on licensing. For now however, it is requesting the ITC block Apple and RIM from importing devices that infringe its patents.



Hit badly by the recession, Kodak is looking at its patent portfolio as a long-term source of revenue. The company projects licensing revenue averaging at least $250 - $350 million each year for the coming several years.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 18 Feb 2010 7:58

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• 3 comments

• i1der

  now is just sit down and wait for the millions... Should be a limit to how much patents can be own imaging not been able to use technology because companies wont pay royalties... Dont get me wrong i think Kodak deserve their money from they patents, just how long that they will be getting money from "ideas" is my concern.

  18.2.2010 09:25 #1

• senator29

  i am going to patent how to breath. you will all have to pay me

  19.2.2010 19:11 #2

• SviFi

  Originally posted by i1der: now is just sit down and wait for the millions... Should be a limit to how much patents can be own imaging not been able to use technology because companies wont pay royalties... Dont get me wrong i think Kodak deserve their money from they patents, just how long that they will be getting money from "ideas" is my concern.Totally agree, there should be limits on how much compensation one can have over invention. Otherwise it is not contribution, but extortion.
  
  This would not only make it more motivating to continue innovating, but also help spread the use of previous innovations.
  
  P.S. I am not in any way protecting Apple here as they are guilty of it more than anybody else.

  22.2.2010 08:03 #3