Tokyo court rules Samsung infringed on Apple’s ‘rubber-banding’ patent
In a ruling opposite of that coming from the US Patent and Trademark Office in April, a Tokyo court has decided in favor of Apple after claims that Samsung infringed on their “rubber-banding” patent. While a US judge ruled that the patent, which covers the bounce-back effect in iOS that is triggered when a user scrolls to the end of a document, was invalid, Samsung was found guilty of infringement in the Japanese court.
The suit is one of several between Apple and Samsung spanning 10 countries, many targeting the same patents in different regions with varying degrees of success. Differing rulings by region are just another example of a highly flawed software patent system .
While the latest ruling will likely result in injunctions on the sale of older Samsung devices, newer models have already done away with the Apple-like rubber-banding effect, leaving them safe from any legal ramifications (for now). A much bigger case between the two parties set to take place in the US looms for 2014.
[via Reuters]