Apple seeks permission to kick Kodak's corpse

[rick_reno]

Asks court to allow patent claim against dying photo icon

Apple has asked the New York branch of the US Bankruptcy Court for permission to sue what's left of Kodak, the once-mighty film firm, for patent infringment.

"Apple requests express authority from this court before it initiates the actions out of an abundance of caution," Apple's lawyers wrote somewhat ungrammatically in the court filing, according to Bloomberg.

The mood must be gloomy in the corner offices at Kodak's Rochester, New York headquarters. The company filed for Chapter 11 backruptcy protection less than a month ago, but that hasn't stopped Cupertino's legal team from now going after them for what it alleges are infringements of patents covering printers, digital cameras, and digital picture frames, Bloomberg reports.

What's more, Apple is persuing a parallel action against Kodak at the International Trade Commission, a common strategy that seeks to bar manufacturers from importing infringing products into the US after they have been manufactured abroad.

The ITC, by the way, is where Kodak won a round against Apple last May, after Cupertino had filed a complaint that the now-bankrupt company was violating three of Apple's patents – a ruling that was soon partially reversed, and which is scheduled for final judgement this September.

In another full-employment act for patent lawyers, Kodak also filed a complaint with the ITC last month accusing Apple and HTC of infringing four patents related to image sharing. Bloomberg reports that Apple filed a response that argued that the ITC should not investigate that claim, seeing as how "Kodak will be selling the asserted patents and divesting itself of the parts of its business" that are part of the complaint.

Kodak responded to that argument, in part, by blaming Apple for the fix it's in. "Apple should not be using the bankruptcy to seek to disrupt Kodak's enforcement of its patents," Kodak wrote to the ITC, "given that infringers like Apple, who continue to violate Kodak's intellectual property rights and refuse to properly compensate it, have contributed to Kodak's current circumstances."

And now comes Apple's decision to slip an extra legal shrimp on the barby, Chapter 11 or no Chapter 11, by asking for permission to add to Kodak's grief.

Kodak's shares are hovering around 40¢ on Wednesday; in October 1996 they peaked at $80.25. In October 1996, Apple's stock was at $5.75; at high noon on Wall Street today, it peaked at $510.78. ®

[AngryCorgi]

Love the title of the thread...my patience won't allow me to read your entire post, but the title gave me a giggle.

[nekrosoft13]

typical apple

[Todd Lambert]

Typical Kodak, if you ask me. Can't innovate their way out of plastic bag, so they're going to shred it while they're floating in a pool of debt. Good idea!

I don't think Apple really needs to go after them, but I'm sure it's corporate legal wrangling that is typical of the way big business operates today. Sad really.

[Ricku]

This is hilarious.

Oh Apple! You are at it again.

[luciddreamer]

Is there anyone Apple won't sue?

[Tony-S]

Kodak sued Apple first, back in 2010.

[AngryCorgi]

Originally Posted by Tony-S

Kodak sued Apple first, back in 2010.

BTW, "Kodak's Corpse" just borrowed $950 Million to assist their "restructuring" efforts.

[Tony-S]

Originally Posted by AngryCorgi

BTW, "Kodak's Corpse" just borrowed $950 Million to assist their "restructuring" efforts.

Why is this directed at me?

[AngryCorgi]

Originally Posted by Tony-S

Why is this directed at me?

Just more non-sympathy for Kodak. If it bothers you...GOOD!

[Can(-_-)n]

At first glance it looks like a hostel take over, but there's nothing to take? They don't need the money, their setting on 97.8 billion of unused dollars, what's really going on?

[Todd Lambert]

They're preventing any possible action further down the road, legally.

In today's business climate, lawsuits are an everyday fact of doing business and this won't change until patent law is reformed.

Every company in the world is suing or being sued. If you're not, you're probably not going to be around very long.

[Kento]

Most of the big tech companies are doing this now, they are trying to stockpile patents because it gives them the opportunities to license or to exclude others from using a wide variety of technologies and features in the future, ie corporate ownership of anything innovative.

Honestly this all stems from a broken patent system. And because the U.S. people have made a habit of electing politicians instead of intelligent human beings to run their country, it will likely never get fixed the right way.. sorta like the copyright system.

[RhysPhotograph.Me]

Apple disgusts me, hope they get sued out of existence one day...

[elitejp]

Originally Posted by RhysPhotograph.Me

Apple disgusts me, hope they get sued out of existence one day...

Unfortunately thats about the way im starting to look at it.