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back to article Lenovo sues Asus for patent infringement, seeks US ZenBook ban

Chinese computer manufacturer Lenovo announced on Tuesday it had filed suit against Taiwanese manufacturer Asus for patent infringement related to software, hardware and connectivity in multiple products. In a press release, Lenovo detailed that the action was in response to August 2023 filings from Asus in the Regional Court …

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  1. Andy The Hat Silver badge

    interesting about the laptop hinge ... tosh did such a thing years ago.

    2 0 Reply
    1. Pete Sdev Bronze badge
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      WTF?

      Yep. My Acer Chromebook has one too.

      It's probably a typical case of the US Patent Office issuing patents for anything without even a cursory research for prior art.

      8 0 Reply
      1. james 68
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        Munich being in Germany would suggest that the European patent office rubber stamped these ones.

        But it is much the same, you pay the fee - you get the patent, they don't bother much with checking for prior art so long as you can supply the cash.

        4 0 Reply
        1. Pete Sdev Bronze badge
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          Headmaster

          "Lenovo announced on Tuesday it had filed suit against Taiwanese manufacturer Asus for patent infringement "

          "was in response to August 2023 filings from Asus in the Regional Court of Munich related to cellular technologies. "

          "In a statement filed with the US International Trade Commission (ITC),"

          "Lenovo’s suit was filed on November 15 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California."

          So Lenovo is suing in the *US*, based on *US* patents (presumably), including the hinge patent, because *Asus* had filed regarding a totally different patent (cellular tech) in Munich.

          Can't comment either way on the validity of Asus' cellular technology patent. It's Lenovo's laptop-with-a-hinge US-patent that is patently ridiculous.

          1 0 Reply
          1. Roland6 Silver badge
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            Suspect the key is the “ US International Trade Commission (ITC), Lenovo stated it seeks a limited exclusion order barring US entry to accused products. ”

            Lenovo are seeking to get the ITC to block import of ASUS computers because of possible litigation. However, I suspect this is more to put pressure on ASUS to agree to the Munich settlement offer, once this is agreed, Lenovo probably have no need to proceed with the US patent litigation.

            2 0 Reply
      2. JoeCool Silver badge
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        That's how it works

        Legal validity of the patent is only/always tested in court.

        1 0 Reply
      3. Blackjack Silver badge
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        Yeah; the USA Patent Office is a complete disaster.

        The USA really should have a "You can't patent something that someone else already invented even if it wasn't patented." law.

        3 0 Reply
    2. Catkin Silver badge
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      Looking at photos of the Toshiba machine in various states of unfurling and the patent (US9611680B2), they didn't employ a geared double hinge. It's actually quite a clever arrangement and a rather specific one (perpendicular helical gears) in the Lenovo patent so I think there might be a little more to it than 'laptop with a hinge' if the Asus machine features this arrangement.

      3 1 Reply
  2. wolfetone Silver badge
    Coat

    How far we have come for a Chinese company to accuse a foreign company of copyright infringement.

    6 5 Reply
    1. Necrohamster Silver badge
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      FAIL

      Sorry to interrrupt your brainfart but the article is about *PATENT* infringement, not copyright infringement.

      3 4 Reply
      1. wolfetone Silver badge
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        Patent, Copyright, it's all in a cauldron of ideas that belongs to someone.

        6 1 Reply

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