Kodak Sues Apple and HTC Over Four Digital Image Patents

[Akshay Masand]

Kodak has recently sued Apple on Tuesday over a patent pertaining to the sharing of digital pictures between varies electronic devices. The 132-year old company seeks the halt of infringing products plus compensatory and triple damages according to a report from Reuters. The claim accuses Apple of violating four digital photography patents that Kodak said it obtained after “concluding it would be desirable for people to easily share pictures” from digital cameras without having to first upload them to a central PC. This leaves any Apple product with a camera affected by the proposed suit. Kodak specifically cited examples including the iPad 2, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and the iPod Touch (fourth generation).

As of right now, it’s unclear whether software like Apple’s Photo Stream, which allows digital images taken on one iDevice to be pushed to other devices through the company’s iCloud service or other third-party apps that allow for image transfer over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi are being targeted in the suit.

The four patents in question include the following:

• U.S. Patent No. 7,210,161 on "automatically transmitting images from an electronic camera to a service provider using a network configuration file"
• U.S. Patent No. 7,742,084 on a "network configuration file for automatically transmitting images from an electronic still camera"
• U.S. Patent No. 7,453,605 on "capturing digital images to be transferred to an e-mail address"
• U.S. Patent No. 7,936,391 on a "digital camera with communications interface for selectively transmitting images over a cellular phone network and a wireless LAN network to a destination"

Apple wasn’t the only company sued by Kodak for these patents either as HTC also seems to be a target. Although both Apple and HTC are suing one another as well for other reasons, the two are likely to work together to fight against Kodak. It is likely they will conduct prior art searches together as well as look for ways to narrow the scope of asserted patents in order to avoid liability for infringement.

It isn’t much of a surprise to see Kodak trying to sue to make money as the company is attempting to sell off 1,100 patents under the looming threat of bankruptcy. The patent sale represents about 10% of the company’s entire IP portfolio. As of right now, Kodak is currently undergoing a major restructuring to help cut costs and boost revenues but shares ended up being a dismal $0.58 at the end of Tuesday.

What do you think of the situation? Share any thoughts and comments below!

Source: Reuters

[scroogelives]

This never worked too well for Kodak last time round! Just seems a very stupid way to save the company as apple and/or htc will keep it tied up in limbo for years while Kodak turns to a distant memory!

[tonysstudio]

They want to sell these patents to apple or HTC. They sue and will sell to the highest offer (apple) in my opinion then apple will sue HTC.

[iTouch-Warrior]

This never worked too well for Kodak last time round! Just seems a very stupid way to save the company as apple and/or htc will keep it tied up in limbo for years while Kodak turns to a distant memory!

Agreed. But I have to tell you: To me and to many people I know, Kodak is already a distant memory !

I only had one Kodak camera in my life and I returned it a week after I bought it. They were once on top of the photography market, especially with their film and older cameras...but now, they seem to be nothing but a struggling company.

[Adoxos]

Wtf is a Kodak?

[scroogelives]

Agreed. But I have to tell you: To me and to many people I know, Kodak is already a distant memory !

I only had one Kodak camera in my life and I returned it a week after I bought it. They were once on top of the photography market, especially with their film and older cameras...but now, they seem to be nothing but a struggling company.

1st digital camera was a Kodak and that was the last Kodak I bought!! And that was 12 years ago lol only Kodak things I see these days are disposable cameras

[iTouch-Warrior]

1st digital camera was a Kodak and that was the last Kodak I bought!! And that was 12 years ago lol only Kodak things I see these days are disposable cameras

Mine was a 2.0 Megapixel EasyShare, back in 2001. But by that time its system requirements were obscene and my old HP couldn't keep up with the bulky and messy EasyShare software. Besides, card readers were way too pricey and there was no way to transfer my pictures, not to mention that the camera was very complicated to use and the picture quality wasn't good at all, even for that time.

LOL, where I live the only Kodak products I see are film rolls for old 35mm cameras, that are mostly collector's items by now .

[andypropaganda]

Instead should just have told Apple to buy the patents. I think Apple and HTC will get around this.

[Paco]

Wow 132 years old

[Nickaroni22]

Just a desperate move by a has been company. So there last stand is to try to sue everyone. Just die Kodak!!!

[luvmytj]

I live in Rochester, NY the home of Eastman Kodak. I was raised on Kodak money as my father worked there until he retired. Many of my relatives worked for GM or Kodak back in the day. At one time these companies were power houses in their own right, now these companies barely can keep going. Kodak is in dire straits and it about to file bankruptcy, my dad will probably lose his heath insurance. Kodak was a great company that really took care of their people. Not anymore. This move is to try to keep them afloat. I swear they don't make anything here in the city anymore. They definitely waited to long to make the analog to digital jump. They own literally miles of factory property. They have been imploding huge factory & office buildings to cut back on the taxes paid on the property. At this point they are screwed. They are hoping to exist with their new printer line which I doubt will happen. Have you seen those crappy printers?

[spooneditr]

Wtf is a Kodak?

Zing!! Lol

[cmwade77]

Honestly, I find that some of their cameras are good, but many are bad, this is where their problem has been.

[kuhndsn]

I wonder if the judge will allow reporters to stream pictures to the cloud from the court room...

[lkailburn]

Sad to see them die. I grew up in ROC as well. side note, the George Eastman house museum is awesome to visit! Highly recommended to anyone with a passion for photography.

-Luke

[c0dy]

Is this the same Kodak that was days away from filing for bankruptcy? Figures

[Norb]

Hope I don't get sued for emailing photo... I better stop.

[s0ulp1xel]

Wow 132 years old

Woa

[MMX007]

Adam's going to sue Apple any day now!
ROTFLUTS 🛀

[sziklassy]

A lot of these comments are astounding. You people act as if other companies, who are doing far better *cough* APPLE *cough* currently don't sue each other for anything and everything they possibly can. Does this seem frivolous to me? Sure, but if everyone else is effectively encouraged to sue the pants of the competition I can;t fault Kodak for wanting their piece of the pie.