Apple Sued for Copyright Violation with 3D Touch

Apple integrates this feature in many of its gadgets. Like in Mac-book it is called “Force Touch”, in the iPhone it is called 3D Touch while as in the Apple Watch it is called “Digital Touch”.

Apple have enabled this feature in different gadgets. To access this feature, a user is required to tap the mobile screen, however user can simply press down to open it and use different actions. Immersion alleged that Apple is violating its copyrights and claimed that it had provided already provided this feature in number of its products like Medical Devices, Gaming Systems, and other electronics gadgets.

Immersion seeks damages from Apple violating its three patents : 

1. U.S. Patent No. 8,619,051: “Haptic Feedback System with Stored Effects”
2. U.S. Patent No. 8,773,356: “Method and Apparatus for Providing Tactile Sensations”
3. U.S. Patent No. 8,659,571: “Interactivity Model for Shared Feedback on Mobile Devices”

“Immersion and its employees have worked diligently for over 20 years to invent solutions and build an ecosystem of content and playback devices that enable realistic and rich digital experiences. Touch matters, as it informs, excites and humanizes the digital world we interact with every day. Many of our licensed customers are market leaders that benefit from our innovation in touch technology,” said Immersion’s CEO Victor Viegas.

“While we are pleased to see others in the industry recognize the value of haptics and adopt it in their products, it is important for us to protect our business against infringement of our intellectual property in order to preserve the ecosystem we have built and the investments that we have made in continuing to advance haptic experiences,” added Viegas. “We will vigorously defend the intellectual property we have developed when it is infringed.”

Besides this copyright violations case, Immersion has also filed a complaint against US international Trade Commission, as this company wants ban of Apple Products in the USA.

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