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Chinese Company Sues Apple Over Siri

Posted by samzenpus on 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. '"

6 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Huh? by MonsterTrimble · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    --
    I call it 'The Aristocrats'
    1. Re:Huh? by Dyinobal · · 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 s.petry · · 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.

  2. Countersuit. by JustAnotherIdiot · · 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.

    --
    What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
  3. Re:Apple can't have it both ways by Rogerborg · · 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.

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  4. Thank You China by ianare · · 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.