Chinese Company Sues Apple Over Siri

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Chinese Company Sues Apple Over Siri

Posted by samzenpus on Monday July 9, 2012 @01:34AM from the ours-first dept.

judgecorp writes "Shanghai Zhizhen Network Technology is suing Apple in China, claiming Siri infringes its voice technology patent. Zhizhen claims to have 100 million users for its Xiao iRobot software which responds to voice questions and commands. From the article: 'The move came only days after Apple Inc paid $60 million to Proview Technology (Shenzhen) to end a protracted legal dispute over the iPad trademark in China. Zhizhen's patent covers "a type of instant messaging chat robot system", according to the database of the country's State Intellectual Property Office. It was filed on Aug 13, 2004, and got approved on Feb 15, 2006. '"

18 of 174 comments (clear)

Huh? by MonsterTrimble · 2012-07-09 01:39 · Score: 5, Funny

Wait, a CHINESE company is worried about intellectual property infringement? Did I miss the memo?

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I call it 'The Aristocrats'
1. Re:Huh? by Dyinobal · 2012-07-09 01:41 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Actually I think china is pretty aggressive in protecting its industries from foreign patent infringement it just isn't so aggressive in protecting western countries from infringement.
2. Re:Huh? by TheGratefulNet · 2012-07-09 01:49 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  but an hour later, they'll just want even more!
  seriously, though, this could not have happened to a 'better' company. hope apple has a major headache from this. I'd buy a ticket to the event if one is ever sold.
  yes, the more evil you are, the more we cheer as you get burned by the very weapons you use to attack others.
  
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  "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
3. Re:Huh? by s.petry · 2012-07-09 02:17 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  HEY, LOOK AT THOSE CHINESE BUSINESSES AND LOOK HOW BAD THEY ARE! Meanwhile US companies hire illegal workers, sue everyone and everything, lie to regulators, blackmail anyone trying to prosecute them or investigate them, pay media to outright lie to US citizens, and steal from US citizens.
  Until we clean up things at home why is anyone in the US talking about China? Wholly crap man, you do realize that banks are still foreclosing on houses where owners don't even have mortgages right? You do realize that things like Honeywell vs. Nest are still happening right? You do realize that Merck was found falsifying reports and documents to the FDA which caused millions of people to get sick and in some cases die just to make pharmaceutical companies lots of money right? Hell, the DOJ illegally sold guns to Drug cartels in Mexico and nobody even talks about it let alone has been prosecuted or punished.
  Don't mistake what I say for saying China is magically better than the US. What I'm saying is that we are so fucked up right now we have no right to bitch about anyone else.
  
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  -The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.
4. Re:Huh? by tsa · 2012-07-09 02:53 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  They're like slashdotters: copying to their heart's delight but when their own copyright is abused they cry foul.
  
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  -- Cheers!
5. Re:Huh? by SimonTheSoundMan · 2012-07-09 03:16 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  What you have to remember with China is it is not a corporation suing Apple but in effect the government suing Apple.
  Companies in China belong to China – You can't trade in China, you trade with China. You can't go to a company wanting to trade, you have to deal with a government official asking you want to trade with China.
  Most people who run these large companies rise through local and central governments, many becoming government officials. They have huge influence on all parts of China, think of it like a Masonic society – A magic handshake with the judge, you know the case will be favourable to you winning.
6. Re:Huh? by Grishnakh · 2012-07-09 03:31 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Why should they be? The USA wasn't aggressive in protecting British IP holders from infringement back in the 17-1800s, in fact they didn't enforce that at all, and the USA made a bunch of money as a result.
  What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
7. Re:Huh? by Grishnakh · 2012-07-09 04:52 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Perhaps, but it is a great example of history repeating itself. Back in the 1700s, Britain was the major world power, and made a lot of money with IP laws and demanded that everyone else respect them, and instead America ignored them and made cheaper copies and made a fortune at it; before long, Britain was a has-been and America was the major power.
  Now, a couple hundred years later, history is repeating itself. America, which got rich partially by ignoring IP laws and making cheaper copies of stuff, is bitching and whining that others are copying their stuff and demanding their IP laws be enforced worldwide, while China ignores them and makes cheaper copies of stuff and is making a fortune doing it.
  I guess it just shows how little people learn from history.
Countersuit. by JustAnotherIdiot · 2012-07-09 01:42 · Score: 5, Funny

Zhizhen claims to have 100 million users for its Xiao iRobot software which responds to voice questions and commands.
Apple counter sues for the use of the letter i.

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What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
Apple can't have it both ways by chowdahhead · 2012-07-09 01:58 · Score: 4, Insightful

Live by the sword, die by the sword.
1. Re:Apple can't have it both ways by Rogerborg · 2012-07-09 02:46 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Heh, they wished for it, they got it.
  US companies are lobbying like demons to have China enforce their "intellectual property" on the assumption that the little yellow devils are too lazy and dumb to ever invent anything of their own.
  A billion smart, hungry people and an education system that doesn't pander to the lower common denominator is about to show them how arrogant and short sighted that is.
  You want to take them on, patents trolls? They can write three patents to your one, and for a quarter of the price.
  I'd rub their noses in it some more, but the sad part is that it just means that everything is going to cost us more, and the only people who will benefit will be Chinese lawyers.
  
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  If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
Re:Go China! by Overzeetop · 2012-07-09 02:02 · Score: 4, Funny

I might tell Siri to call me Dave, just so she can say "I can't do that, Dave."

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Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Re:Right... Some more to come? by El+Torico · 2012-07-09 02:07 · Score: 4, Funny

That first one would make a great name for a feminine hygiene product.

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In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is usually crucified.
Thank You China by ianare · 2012-07-09 02:56 · Score: 5, Interesting

You better believe something will be done about software patents, and IP laws in general, when the Chinese start to heavily sue US companies.
I mean, when it's US companies bashing those in other countries, software patents are awesome. When the inverse occurs, they are obviously a hinderance to progress.
1. Re:Thank You China by Dodgy+G33za · 2012-07-09 03:26 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Worse that a hinderance. They are an affront to the free world and the democratic way of life.
  Which is why when the US was founded they ignored European patents and copied like fucking crazy. It was only when they started having ideas of their own worth protecting they thought different.
Re:So, in China is it cheaper to do this manually? by RaceProUK · 2012-07-09 03:19 · Score: 4, Funny

Baked or green?

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No colour or religion ever stopped the bullet from a gun
Companies are just more afraid of Microsoft by Quila · 2012-07-09 03:45 · Score: 4, Informative

Microsoft is getting $5 for every Android phone from HTC, Motorola, and probably the rest because Microsoft threatened to sue over patents.
Slavishly and shamelessly stealing IP Apple? by andydread · 2012-07-09 06:00 · Score: 4, Insightful

Maybe its time for Apple to stop slavishly copying others IP and claiming it as their own without permission? We know how shameless they are about their actions.