14 DAY TRIAL // Two separate companies have filed patent lawsuits against Apple Computer claiming the company has violated their patents related for the iPod digital music device and the iTunes Music Store (iTMS).
Chicago-based Advanced Audio Devices LLC has sued Apple claiming the iPod violates one of its patents for a "music jukebox."
The company owns a patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in August of 2000 and granted in July of 2003, which describes a music "jukebox" for storing a "music library".
"The music jukebox includes a housing, audio input structure on the housing for receiving audio signals, audio output structure on the housing for outputting audio signals, and a data storage structure in the housing for storing audio signals," the filing said.
The Chicago-based company tried to settle this matter with Apple starting last December, but they were ignored and there wasn't an amicable resolution for this conflict.
In addition, Hong Kong-based Pat-rights has also filed suit against Apple claiming its digital rights management technology violates its patent that was granted in December of 2003.
Pat-rights patent describes a method of "protecting publicly distributed software from unauthorized use" using a sub-program for encryption, a sub-program "for authorizing the use of a software product," and a sub-program for authenticating a users computer.
Pat-rights claims that Apple hasn't patented its Fairplay technoloy and the only reason why they didn't is that someone else must have done it before them. The company is demanding 12% of gross sales from Apple's iTMS and is giving Apple 21 days to accept what Pat-rights is calling "a reasonable license fee.