Embattled camera-maker Kodak Eastman Co., has filed patent infringement cases against Apple for its four patents relating to digital camera technology.

Apple however denies this claim and petitioned the US Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York hearing Kodak’s bankruptcy case to attach “clarifying language” to such orders by the court that will allow financing to Kodak. It asked the court to indicate that the patents owned by Apple or those it claims which remain disputed should not be attached as security or lien. It clarified that they are not blocking any request of Kodak for post petition financing but that Kodak cannot use the patents that they do not own as collateral.

Apple maintained that during the early 1990s, they had a partnership with Kodak which among others, focused on how Kodak can help Apple in the further development and commercialization of its digital cameras. This resulted in the sharing of digital camera technologies. The two companies entered into a non-disclosure agreement which also includes a provision that all the developments or changes in those technologies will remain with Apple. Therefore, ownership of the patents is with Apple and not Kodak. As a matter of fact, Apple added, that when the information that Kodak was using the subject technology and that they were already claiming the patents as their own, came to their attention in 2010, they were consequently pressed to file a patent infringement case. This still remains under litigation. Kodak on the other hand denies the allegations and maintains that they are the owner of the patents and not Apple.

Kodak has been aggressively claiming its patents in an effort to produce capital to sustain its operation. However, the efforts were still insufficient, prompting it to declare bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in New York. Kodak failed to adapt to the technological advances in digital photography which, ironically, it invented.

MorphoSys is on the height of creating antibodies as they receive the US patent intended for MOR202. The world’s leader when it comes to forming the technology for antibody is proud to have received the patent that is to expire on 2028. However, it is said to be exclusive of any extensions that may be due to regulations.

The said antibody is known to give therapeutic cure to myeloma of multiple forms and even several types of leukaemia. Patients who are currently suffering from a relapsed myeloma are now being subject to the human HuCAL antibody in Phase I/IIa therapeutic tests. It is also a medical development fighting against the deadly cancer cells. MorphoSys has generated this antibody. Having undergone a crucial medical engineering procedure, it is declared as fully human. As studied by the medical experts of the company in four locations of the world, MOR202 or simply the HuCAL antibody to fight CD38, has the potential to be a cure against myeloma and leukemia. This finding is still the focus of the doctors who are experts in engineering and forming the medicines that can cure the incurable diseases currently suffered by many people today.

MorphoSys was established in 1992 as a company catering to the developing and creating antibody technologies that are fully human. This company has been an expert in this medical engineering technology field. In fact, several big companies have partnered with them to support the engineered medicines that are trying its way through the market. Some of these companies include Daiichi Sankyo, Novartis and Boehringer Ingelheim. Companies that are well-known all-over the world who have used the benefits of the antibodies developed by MorphoSys are Pfizer, Merck and Roche.

MosphoSys has come to pass the difficulties in proving themselves. And receiving the US patent for MOR202 is another milestone that serves as their green light for more developments yet to be found.

Apple has recently filed an application for a new patent on fuel cells which are designed to power mobile devices. These fuel cells would be used to create more efficient devices. The patent describes a technology for making mobile devices smaller and lighter in weight by utilizing a fuel cell system in place of the current batteries which are used in devices like laptops. This patent application follows on the heels of another patent application by Apple for a new hydrogen fuel cell design which is lighter than existing fuel cells.

This hydrogen fuel cell patent was filed late last year, and describes a process for connecting multiple fuel cells in a single unit via a power bus and a circuit that multiplies voltage to add additional power to the stack.

The use of fuel cells to power a new generation of notebooks which are lighter and smaller than any devices available today will be enabled if this patent application is granted to Apple. According to the patent filings, one of the advantages of using fuel cells in place of other power sources is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, as more consumers express a desire to move away from these older energy sources towards more renewable technologies.

Apple has noted in their patent application that it is the increased consumer demand and awareness for energy efficient technologies which is driving industry change towards these alternative technologies. Specifically, they note that the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) is one rating system which allows consumers to effectively compare the energy efficiency of various consumer electronic devices.

The engineers at Apple have designed the new fuel cells described in their patent application to work well with more conventional batteries. This application describes how fuel cells can be incorporated into consumer electronic devices, including laptops, in order to deliver optimal performance while reducing weight. Fuel cells are a compelling next generation technology because they are energy dense, which means they offer high energy efficiency when compared to conventional batter power.

The high gravimetric and volumetric energy densities which can be achieved with fuel cell technology may revolutionize the consumer electronics industry, allowing devices to go for days or weeks without charging up. The technology offers a superior solution to the age old challenge of making mobile electronic devices cost effective and portable, as noted by Apple in their patent application.

Cequint recently sued Apple over alleged patent infringement relating to caller ID technology. Cequint has cited the fact that many other smartphone makers license the technology in question, including HTC, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and Research in Motion (RIM). Cequint is seeking a court order to prevent Apple from using its caller ID patented technology and is also seeking unspecified damages from the company. Lawyers for Cequint allege that the company has been damaged by the patent infringement and that it will suffer irreparable harm unless a court orders Apple to halt the infringing activity immediately.

Some of the largest smartphone makers like Samsung, which is engaged in its own battles with Apple in courts around the globe, have provided testimonials on Cequint’s website which support the company’s case against Apple.

The patent lawsuit filed by Cequint against Apple alleges that Apple has infringed on patent rights to an advanced form of caller ID technology. Cequint is claiming that they are the first provider of enhanced mobile caller ID services which show not only the caller’s phone number but also the location where the call is originating from.

The lawsuit cites 2 patents which are being infringed upon, both of which were obtained by Cequint in 2007. One of the patents was acquired while the other was granted to the company by the US PTO. The caller ID invention in question covers the retrieval of geographical information about a call as well as the read out display format of this information. Some experts believe that Cequint may have a clear case against Apple because of the fact that so many other large smartphone makers do license the patented software from the company.

Cequint is asking for compensation from Apple related to both direct and indirect patent infringement of its advanced caller ID technology. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. The company alleges that Apple has directly infringed on at least 4 claims of its ’212 patent and many claims in its ’664 patent as well by producing, importing and selling models of its iPhones which run the iOS 5.0 OS, as well as upgrades to previous versions of the iPhone which enable the use of iOS 5.0 features.

Cequint also alleges in the suit that Apple has indirectly infringed on the ’212 patent and ’664 patent by importing and selling components of Cequint patented systems and materials which are used in applying the patented methods and inventions of the company.

Qualcomm has made a major shift in direction with their acquisition of HaloIPT (Inductive Power Transfer) from Auckland University’s UniServices and Arup engineering. As part of this acquisition, the San Diego based wireless giant also gains access to a number of valuable patents covering advanced wireless charging technology. The acquisition is part of Qualcomm’s strategy to develop wireless technology for transmitting electricity.

UniServices, the commercialization arm of the University of Auckland, has developed technology which generates an electric field from a small electromagnetic device that can wirelessly transmit electricity to charge up the power system of an electric vehicle. This technology, which is known as energy induction, is not new. In fact, it was first demonstrated by Tesla in 1893.However, the idea has been getting more attention in recent years as more companies focus on smart energy solutions.

Qualcomm, which up to this point has been best known as a wireless chip manufacturer, will receive all of the patents, technology and other assets of UK based HaloIPT. This start up company claims to be the first in the world to make IPT technology viable for commercial use in charging electric cars. Qualcomm has invited all of the HaloIPT team members to join their European Innovation Development group which is also based in the UK.

The HaloIPT acquisition is expected to further strengthen the Qualcomm patent portfolio and represents a major step forward in boosting their work on wireless power. No dollar value has been disclosed on the deal, but according to UniServices it is the largest technology transfer ever completed by a university in New Zealand.

In addition to the acquisition of HaloIPT patents, UniServices and Qualcomm have also agreed to commit to a long term relationship for the purposes of research and development in the wireless charging technology field, particularly as it relates to charging for electric vehicles. HaloIPT has been able to successfully build on over 20 years of innovation and development at the University of Auckland in the area of wireless power.

HaloIPT was able to commercialize this technology in a short time frame and establish itself as one of the leaders in the cutting edge industry of electric vehicle charging. This achievement has been acknowledged with a number of industry awards for HaloIPT over the last 18 months. Qualcomm is in a position to extend the reach of this technology to many third parties and further develop it as an industry standard.

Microsoft has opened patent talks with Chinese telecom giant Huawei. The talks involve the use of Android in Huawei mobile devices. Microsoft has alleged that certain features of Android OS infringe on patents held by Microsoft.

The company has managed to talk to 10 other smartphone manufacturers that use Android in their devices to sign licensing agreements to avoid litigation. Under the terms of these agreements, the manufacturers pay Microsoft royalties on each device they produce.

The chief marketing officer of Huawei has stated publicly that the company holds over 65,000 patents, which is enough to protect the company’s interests. Shenzhen based Huawei is focused on their goal of becoming one of the top smartphone makers globally within 3 years. It is already the second largest maker of mobile phone network infrastructure in the world, just behind Ericsson of Sweden and ahead of Nokia Siemens and Alcatel-Lucent.

If Microsoft is successful in drafting a patent licensing agreement with Huawei, it would mark the latest licensing agreement between Microsoft and major smartphone developers. Huawei has chosen to launch a global roll out of new smartphones and tablets in the UK in 2012. A decision by Huawei to sign a licensing deal with Microsoft would bring it in line with many of its peers around the world.

Microsoft refused to comment on the status of the discussions with Huawei, but a company spokesman noted that they are pleased with the momentum that their Android licensing program has developed. Currently, Microsoft has inked similar agreements with 10 major manufactures, representing more than half of the Android devices produced worldwide.

Along with the company’s announcement of patent talks with Mircosoft, Huawei has also announced that they plan to open a design center in London. They will be rolling out new phones and tablets in the US, India and Japan over the next year, and the company plans to expand beyond these markets in 2013.
Huawei has set very aggressive targets in their five year plan, which if achieved will see the company ranked among the top 5 global smartphone makers by 2014 and in the top 3 by 2016. However, these aggressive expansion plans are almost guaranteed to step on Microsoft’s toes.

While Microsoft has been able to threaten other companies with litigation in order to get them to sign licensing agreements, Huawei has hinted that they have enough patents to defend themselves in court.

LG has signed a deal with patent house Intellectual Ventures (IV), making it the latest smartphone manufacturer to do so. Intellectual Ventures generates revenues primarily by licensing out its huge patent library instead of using these patents to manufacture its own products. The deal will give LG access to IV patents that will allow it to counter attack against any competing firm which decides to launch an intellectual property suit against it.

This deal reflects a trend that is taking shape in the industry, as many other tech companies are likely to strike similar patent deals in years to come. The spike in breach of patent lawsuits in the technology world has caused firms to look for ways of limiting their exposure through deals with large patent houses like Intellectual Ventures.

Intellectual Ventures is considered by many in the tech industry to be a patent troll, and a notorious one at that. A patent troll is any firm which grows by collecting royalties on patents they purchase from bankrupt firms, research institutes or top universities, without manufacturing their own products. The deal between LG and Intellectual Ventures allows the South Korean electronics company to access up to 35,000 patents in the IV patent portfolio.

The deal gives LG the ability to sue any other companies which are using IV technologies without a formal licensing agreement. This frees up LG to focus on their core business of creating and manufacturing innovative electronic devices without the concern over patent disputes. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it follows on the heels of a similar deal between Samsung and IV last year.

Other major smartphone makers including Research in Motion and HTC have signed similar patent licensing deals with IV in order to avoid potential lawsuits. Korean mobile phone maker Pantech has also signed a licensing agreement with IV, and it seems that among the major phone manufacturers Motorola remains the only one willing to fight IV in court.

Handset makers must weigh the costs of litigation versus the cost of a licensing deal and decide which option is in their best interests. When the cost of the licensing deal is reasonable, the choice is often clear because the cost of fighting it in court can really add up over time. It is notable that Motorola refuses to sign an agreement with IV, in part because Google is an investor in IV and is also planning to acquire Motorola.

BMW has applied for a patent on a new electric turbocharger, and industry enthusiasts speculate that the technology is destined for use in the next version of the M3. This new design appears to be the most advanced solution yet to the issue of turbocharger lag at higher RPMs. BMW has been working on this performance issue ever since it began to regularly employ turbochargers in factory power plants.

The patent application for the new technology was filed in Germany. The BMW engineers have created a new kind of turbo charger which uses a small electric motor which synchronizes with a more conventional turbo charger. This design allows the electric motor to power the turbo’s turbine as the device shifts from idle to load. In the process, turbo lag is dramatically reduced.

It is speculated that the patent could be put to market use right away in the next gen M3, which is expected to hit the market sometime in 2014. The new technology represents a big leap forward in addressing turbo lag, which is defined as the time it takes for a turbo charger to spool up.

The electric turbo boosts fuel efficiency by keeping the engine running at its optimal operating rate, while also boosting performance by reducing the turbo lag. While BMW has not announced specific production plans for the new technology yet, it is likely that it will show up in the high performance models first as a way of defraying the cost of development. However, since it is a fuel saving technology it’s likely that eventually it will show up in lower end models as well.

Automobile enthusiasts are excited over the new patent application, as it represents the first real solution to the problem of turbo lag which has plagued turbo chargers from the start. The specifics of the patent application are quite technical, but a general summary is that the system utilizes a series of clutches along with an electric motor to significantly minimize turbo lag.

Each time the driver pushes the accelerator, the electric turbo charger motor will spool up the turbo which will provide more optimal performance. When the electric motor is not needed, it will switch over to function like an alternator and recharge its own battery. Simultaneously, the motor controls the turbo speed at an optimal level so the need for a wastegate is eliminated.

Sony has been awarded a patent for a new biometric game controller design. The controller has been designed to work with the company’s Playstation systems and would actually be able to sense the biometrics of a player such as perspiration, heart beat and muscle movements. These new controllers would look just like standard controllers, and Sony has not released any details of specific uses for the new devices.

This has led to wide ranging speculation among experts in the gaming industry over what they will be used for. Some have suggested that they would be used to detect player stress levels adjust the level of game play accordingly to suit the player’s mood. A good example would be a shooter game in which the player’s character is holding a weapon. As the player becomes more relaxed, the biometric controller would sense this and their character would hold the weapon with a steadier grip.

The new Sony patent is the latest indication that the video game industry is moving in the direction of biometrics, but gamers will have to wait a while for these devices to actually hit the market according to industry insiders. The announcement by Nintendo of their biometric Vitality Sensor caused a lot of buzz, only to disappoint everyone when it was delayed with no release date in sight. The same goes for the Ubisoft Innergy biometric controller design.

It’s no surprise that gamers may be a bit skeptical about the new Sony device, with some wondering whether it will also get cancelled before it’s ever released to the market. The Sony patent covers both biometric controllers for console gaming, and also for hand held systems which will be designed with built in biometric sensors.

The patent gives Sony the potential to get a jump on the market for biometric controllers, especially given the failed attempts of its competitors in the last few years. The Sony device features more advanced technology than the failed Wii Vitality Sensor from Nintendo, which clipped onto the player’s finger to measure biometric data. That project was cancelled due to the inconsistent performance of the device.

The new devices proposed by Sony will measure 3 unique biometric stats, which include galvanic skin resistance, electro muscular data and elector cardio data. All of this data will be transmitted and interpreted by the video game when the user simply holds the controller or hand held system in their hands.

A new patent from Nintendo outlines an innovative accessory that allows the user to use their Wii Remote as a touch pad. The line art from the patent app illustrates an accessory that you slip onto your Wii Remote, along with a device that connects to the Wii as well. The touch pad accessory works by amplifying the LED with mirrors on the remote.

It interprets the resulting signals as positional data each time the user touches the pad. This is certainly an ingenious solution to turn a standard controller into a touch pad, rather than creating an entirely new device. The fact that the company filed the patent application is no guarantee that this accessory will ever hit the market, or when you will be able to buy it in the stores.

The Japanese Nintendo patent application reveals a design that will turn a standard controller into a touch pad by simply sliding the new accessory onto the touch pad. When the user touches the pad it activates an infrared LED light. The beams of light are then amplified by bouncing off a mirror, and used by the controller as positional data.

The device doesn’t alter the operation of the remote so it can still be used as a standard Wii remote if the user chooses by simply not touching the pad. Nintendo has suggested that the accessory can work as a drawing pad or mouse pointer for advanced game activities. However, the standard Wii Remote already has mouse pointer functionality via the sensor bar.

Some people speculate that due to the aging lifespan of the current Wii system, it’s a good possibility that the new technology the patent describes may not hit the market until the arrival of the next generation Wii console, the Wii U. The main controller for the Wii U was revealed at E3 earlier this year, and unlike the standard Wii controller today it is a larger, tablet style touch screen device.

However, this device is also compatible with current Wii remotes. It is speculated that the touch pad accessory will add similar functionality to serve as an upgrade to older Wii remotes for the new system. However, the patent application drawings don’t make it clear whether the device includes a real touch screen or simply a touch sensitive pad. There are other rumors floating around the net that also hint at the new device being intended specifically for the Wii U system only.