Patent Law Practice Center

Apple Applies for Patent on Parental Controls for Debit Cards

Lately, I’ve been trying to publish articles every week on IP Watchdog about Apple patents and published patent applications. I have long told students and others that if you work in an area where Apple innovates and you are looking for good, well-written patents to read and learn from, then read whatever Apple patents you can find. Of course, there is a cult following for everything Apple, so there may be at least a little pandering on my part. But patents are patents and to learn you have to read, so why not read interesting patents? At least that was always my philosophy when teaching law school classes.

This week,  a particular Apple published patent application jumped out at me.  U.S. Patent Application No. 20130018792, simply titled Parental Controls, seeks to give parents the option of allowing children to have debit cards while allowing parents to define limitations for use.

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The Plot Thickens in Apple Patent Battle with HTC

By Gene Quinn (of  IPWatchdog.com and Patent Center Contributor)

There has been yet another development in what is fast shaping up to be an epic patent battle between Apple Inc.(NASDAQ: AAPL) and High Tech Computer Corp.(PINK:HTCCF) (aka HTC Corp.), HTC (B.V.I.) Corp, HTC America, Inc. and Exeda, Inc. (collectively referred to as HTC).  On Monday, June 21, 2010, Apple filed yet another complaint against HTC in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.  On March 2, 2010, Apple, Inc.  filed two lawsuits against HTC Corp., alleging that HTC infringes some 20 Apple patents related to the iPhone’s user interface, underlying architecture and hardware.

The latest Apple complaint continues to allege direct infringement of Apple patents, this time four separate patents.  The complaint also alleges indirect infringement; specifically contributory infringement and inducement to infringe.  The patent asserted by Apple are US Patent No. 7,282,453 (Count I); US Patent No. 7,657,849 (Count II); US Patent No. 6,282,646 (Count III) and US Patent No. 7,380,116 (Count IV).  The ‘453 patent and the ‘849 patent were both asserted previously by Apple (see what I have previously referred to as the second complaint filed March 2, 2010).  It appears as if they are added here due to recently issued Certificates of Correction.  The ‘646 patent and the ‘116 patent were not previously asserted in either of the two complaints filed March 2, 2010 in the District of Delaware.

Read the entire article at IPWatchdog.com