Image

Apple Prevails in German Patent Case Against Google’s Motorola

Sept. 13, 2012
The case is just one of many patent battles that technology companies have waged worldwide, but especially in Germany where patent protection laws are particularly strict.

A German court found Google-owned Motorola guilty of infringing Apple (IW 500/9) patents on the design of smartphones and tablets, a court spokesman said on Thursday.

The court ordered Motorola Mobility (IW 500/90) to pay a yet-to-be-specified fine and pull the infringing devices, which run on Google's Android operating system, from the market.

The patent involves a feature known as "overscroll bounce" or "rubber-banding" that pulls a written text or image back to the center of the screen to signify to the user that the end of a list or menu has been completed.

Motorola, which had won a similar patent case in western Germany last July, has one month to appeal the decision.

The case is just one of many patent battles that technology companies have waged worldwide, but especially in Germany where patent protection laws are particularly strict.

In August, a California court decided in favor of Apple in a patent case against Samsung, awarding the iPhone maker about $1 billion in damages.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012

About the Author

Agence France-Presse

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2002-2024. AFP text, photos, graphics and logos shall not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP shall not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP content, or for any actions taken in consequence.

Sponsored Recommendations

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!