Creative Goes After Apple

Yesterday, Creative Technology Ltd. filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission, charging Apple Computer Inc. of infringing on their patents.

Creative is asking the ITC to force Apple to stop "engaging in sales, marketing, importation or sale after importation into the United States" of iPod devices, until it can be determined whether or not Apple violated Creative's patents for their Zen brand-name device.

Creative has also filed suit against Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, asking for an injunction against, and undisclosed damages from Apple.

This move by Creative revolves around the 'Zen patent' which the company received on Aug. 9, 2005, "for its invention of the user interface used by most portable digital-media players," including its own Zen and Nomad MP3 players, and competing products such as Apple's line of iPods.

Interestingly enough, the iPod interface is a portable version of the iTunes one, and there have been other people claiming that Apple has stolen the interface from them. Creative itself has threatened Apple before in the media, invoking the 'Zen Patent', the fact that they have now decided to go through with it means that the company is most likely getting desperate.