Legal Issues

Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick




SanDisk Gets Patent Injunction Overturned A Bit Late

from the but,-maybe-it-all-works-out dept

Earlier in the week, we noted the ridiculousness which allowed a patent licensing firm to get a German court to ban SanDisk from showing its new MP3 players at a major tradeshow, due to a patent dispute. The problem is that the dispute hasn't yet gone to court -- so it seems extremely premature to ban the devices completely (and somewhat pointless to say they can just show photographs). SanDisk's lawyers went to work and got the injunction overturned, but only in time for the last day of the show. Sisvel, the licensing organization is now appealing the injunction, though it doesn't much matter at this point. Of course, on the PR side, perhaps SanDisk should thank Sisvel. It seems like they received an awful lot more press about these new MP3 players than they would have otherwise.

13 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Sep 8th, 2006 @ 5:57am
  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 6:12am
  • You Can Sue...

    by Anonymous Coward

    ...a Pancake 'Cause it's Flat...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 6:23am
  • I wonder...

    by Sanguine Dream

    what the SanDisk player is all about. I must go to there site and check it out. Would never have heard about it if it weren't for this story. Not garauntee that I'll buy one but thanks for the info Sisvel.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 6:29am
  • by Pope Ratzo

    SanDisk makes some great little mp3 players. I've had several (which get passed on to my wife and daughter when new ones come out), and I just bought a 4gig w/ video that blows the iPods away. And it's not so expensive that you're afraid your change will scratch it if you put it in your pocket.

    Why is there no mention of Apple (the new Microsoft) being behind this frivolous suit?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 7:11am
  • Sisvel, you rock!

    by tehdirtaddict

    Nothing better than free publicity.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 7:28am
  • by Anonymous Coward

    Except that it is not really free, think about all the lawyers involved. . .

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 7:32am
  • Wheres the counter lawsuit?

    by Anonymous Coward

    Please tell me that sandisk is going to sue for punitive damages incurred by not being able to properly show their device at the show.

    I want them to sue the court for issuing the injunction, and I want them to sue Sisvel for their practices as well.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 10:43am
    • Re: Wheres the counter lawsuit?

      by Anonymous Coward

      u sound like a lawer,

      SUE SUE SUE,

      I am having troubles with my ISP wanabe my lawer?

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    Sep 8th, 2006 @ 7:49am
  • Love it

    by Faz

    love lawsuits, get publicity, tells people that oh products outside of apple exist.... wait i have an ipod.. damn it....

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 9:46am
  • Surely you don't mean....

    Techdirt's standard cynicism is confusing me a bit here. Surely we aren't criticizing Sandisk for not forcing the courts to overturn the injuction earlier?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 9:47am
  • Sue the bastards!

    by Lay Person

    SanDisk should sue the German court that implemented such a ban in the first place. Not to mention the losses they may have suffered as a result.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 9:57am
  • by Monarch

    You know, I can't find in any article what SanDisk is being accused for patent infringement for. Yes I know it has something to do with Mp3's, but is it for interpretting and playing them on the player, or is it the software player itself, or is it for storing Mp3's? Anyone know why they are being accused of patent infringement? Other that because a Patent Troll says they are?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 8th, 2006 @ 11:25am
  • SanDisk/Sivel

    See my IPEG blog (http://ipgeek.blogspot.com/) for those who speak German, the full text of the Berlin judgement, as well as the aftermath ("Sisvel brings Patent Wild West into Germany") on http://ipgeek.blogspot.com/2006/09/sisvels-brings-patent-wild-west-into.html

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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