Apple sues power adapter knockoff maker
Summary
Hot on the heels of its win against Mac clone-maker Psystar, Apple is suing another company that's making knockoffs of its products, but this time its power adapters.
Topics
Hot on the heels of its win against Mac clone-maker Psystar, Apple is suing another company that's making knockoffs of its products, but this time its power adapters.
Apple filed the lawsuit against Media Solutions Holdings in the California Central District Court on Monday, according to InformationWeek. Apple claims the power adapters violate a patent the company holds on the design of its own adapters.
The power adapters in question come with Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro line of notebooks. Apple also sells the adapters separately for $79 from its online and retail stores.
For more, read "Apple sues power adapter knockoff maker" at CNET News.
Talkback Most Recent of 30 Talkback(s)
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Gah!!!
Our patent system is a mess. "I patent supplying 20V DC to your laptop!!! muwahahahahaha!!!!"
gtvr30th Nov 2009 -
If you follow the link...
backwards about 5 times, you'll find the patent in question:
http://www.google.com/patents?
id=h7cOAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&source=gbs_overvie
w_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false
It's a design patent, which covers the look of the adaptor.
Check this out, and see what you think:
http://www.informationweek.com/galleries/showImage.jhtml?
galleryID=326&imageID=136&articleID=221901168
msalzberg30th Nov 2009 -
So change the looks then
Put heat disappation fins on it or make it look like something from Alien or Star Trek.
Dr_Zinj30th Nov 2009 -
You're correct.
Unfortunately, if you look at the items in question, they are exact
duplicates of Apple's power supplies, which are protected by US Design
Patent number D478,310 S.
That's the problem.msalzberg30th Nov 2009 -
I stand corrected
Other stuff is still a mess though
gtvr30th Nov 2009 -
RE: Apple sues power adapter knockoff maker
Wow...IMHO it appears Apple has a slam-dunk case here. Even from a foot away you really can't tell the difference. It's like a 100% copy of Apple's powersupply including the cable winding and the snap-in adapter. Pretty blatent copy job.
lawryll@...30th Nov 2009 -
Yeah...
Yeah. The only noticeable difference is that there's no Apple logo on the
side. Physically, the connector is a little different. It's lacking a second
dip on the connector which prevents the Apple brand connectors from
working on the generic brand adapter.
olePigeon30th Nov 2009 -
Awe man...
Awe man, I just bought about 10 of these to replace
lost/stolen/broken adapters on our laptop carts.
They're really cheap an they work well enough. The only
down side is that the extension cable doesn't fit in the
generic brand adapters, but that's a small tradeoff.olePigeon30th Nov 2009 -
RE: Apple sues power adapter knockoff maker
Not sure you can patent looks. That's more a copyright issue.
It's a good job it's not Microsoft eh? Really, the differential treatment Apple receives compared with the Seattle Satan is remarkable.
If Microsoft tried half the strokes Apple pulls with its marketing (irreplaceable batteries anyone?) they'd be in court every waking hour.
It's about time someone took a long, cold look at Apple and their prediliction for uncompetitive, market killing practices.
brian.smith@...30th Nov 2009 -
You most certainly can patent looks.
It's called a design patent. From the US Patent and Trademark Office
site:
"A design consists of the visual ornamental characteristics embodied
in, or applied to, an article of manufacture. Since a design is
manifested in appearance, the subject matter of a design patent
application may relate to the configuration or shape of an article, to
the surface ornamentation applied to an article, or to the combination
of configuration and surface ornamentation...The Patent Law provides
for the granting of design patents to any person who has invented any
new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. A
design patent protects only the appearance of the article and not its
structural or utilitarian features. "
The key phrase, and the way it differs from copyright, is "an article of
manufacture." You do not manufacture books, paintings, music, or
software code. They get copyrights.
The patent in question, by the way, is US Design Patent number
D478,310 S.
msalzberg30th Nov 2009 -
Anti-competitive actions
There's a big difference between MS and Apple, though: MS has an effective monopoly, while Apple does not. The rules are different for monopolies than they are for other companies.
dkerber@...30th Nov 2009 -
Come on, give Apple a break
They can't innovate anything other than the looks
of a power adapter. If you took that away from
Apple, they would have nothing left.
NonZealot30th Nov 2009 -
Consider 9% vs. 90%
And you'll see why Apple gets a pass. I can assure you that if Apple had M$'s desktop market share, the situation would be reversed.
It's a good job it's not Microsoft eh? Really, the differential treatment Apple receives compared with the Seattle Satan is remarkable.
~
It's about time someone took a long, cold look at Apple and their prediliction for uncompetitive, market killing practices.
It's relatively easy for the end user to avoid using anything designed or built by Apple. Can we really say the same for Micro$oft?
Wintel BSOD30th Nov 2009 -
Apple may have trouble proving its claims
Unless the patents Apple is relying upon to give it a monopoly on power supplies are truely innovative and useful, they're going be dissappointed. Redesigning a power supply connector for the sole purpose of having a monopoly on the power source for your product only buys you a little time before the clone makers step in.
LarryPTL30th Nov 2009 -
You're missing the point completely.
Apple has a design patent on their laptop power supplies. Go to
the US Patent and Trademark Office and look up US Design Patent
number D478310.
And, yes, that gives them the power to block anyone from making a
power supply that looks the same. That's what a design patent is
formsalzberg30th Nov 2009
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