An executive of eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc (禾瑞亞科技), one of Taiwan’s touch sensor integrated circuit (IC) makers, said yesterday that the impact on the consumer electronics product market of the touch panel-related patents Apple Inc recently obtained remains to be seen.
Apple was granted four patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office, which will be applied to touch panel solutions, including single-touch and multi-touch finger gestures.
According to the reports, Apple has been granted broad protection from possible patent infringement for its capacitive multi-touch panel-related technologies.
The reports have stirred up concern in the local market, as many investors are afraid local touch panel makers and even smartphone or tablet computer firms will be sued by Apple to protects its new patents.
However, Addy Chang (張志彬), sales director at eGalax_eMPIA, said the definitions and scopes of the new patents should be very clear-cut and that the chances of smartphone and tablet computer firms infringing upon Apple’s patents could be slim, as long as the firms keep a close eye on the patents.
Chang said it was unlikely that touch sensor IC makers such as eGalax_eMPIA, which are in the upper stream of touch panel technology applications, will violate Apple’s intellectual property rights, since touch sensor IC technologies have nothing to with the finger gestures the Apple patents focus upon.
Meanwhile, Apple is bringing its patent fight with Samsung Electronics Co over smartphones and tablet computers to South Korea.
Apple spokesman Steve Park said yesterday that the company filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in Seoul Central District Court “to protect Apple’s intellectual property when companies steal our ideas.”
Apple sued Samsung in the US in April, alleging Samsung’s Galaxy line of smartphones and tablet computers copy its iPad and iPhone.
Samsung responded by filing lawsuits in South Korea, the US and elsewhere alleging patent violations by Apple.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AP
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