Apple Wants To Sue Bankrupt Kodak For Patent Infringement

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc has asked a bankruptcy court for permission to sue Eastman Kodak, accusing it of infringing its patents.

In a court filing on Tuesday in New York federal bankruptcy court, Apple said it wanted to file a complaint against Kodak at the International Trade Commission.

Apple said the suit would seek to bar Kodak from importing various products, such as printers and digital cameras, that it believes infringes its patents.

Apple said it also wants to file a corresponding lawsuit in the Manhattan federal court, which would seek damages it has suffered since the iconic photography company filed for bankruptcy last month.

The litigation would not be the first legal battle between the two companies. In January, Kodak sued Apple for allegedly infringing its patents related to digital cameras.

The once-dominant photography company filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

The bankruptcy case is in re: Eastman Kodak Co et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York. No. 12-1202

(Reporting by Andrew Longstreth; Editing by Kim Coghill)

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

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Comments

[Robinson007]

03:18 PM on 02/16/2012

Talk about kicking someone when they're down!

Apple, I love thee, but this may be too much! OTOH, Kodak has decided to switch from cameras to mining its patents, so they should have seen this coming.

An ironical note (which I'm sure someone who knows this stuff better than I will correct), but wasn't Apple the first to make a digital camera? The QuickTime Camera or some such-- that they licensed from or had Kodak make? Rich with irony!

[woody7]

02:15 PM on 02/16/2012

Why innovate when you can litigate. Doesn't Kodak have the patent to an image?

[Hayden McCann]

12:34 PM on 02/16/2012

And people say Microsoft is a horrible company...

[StinkyPete0279]

11:42 AM on 02/16/2012

Patent trolls gonna troll.

[navybrush]

11:41 AM on 02/16/2012

Where are the people who investigate anti-competitive behavior. Apple is the most valuable company in the world yet they still pick on the little guy. This is just shameless and irresponsible.

[MIKEinNYC]

11:36 AM on 02/16/2012

I hope they lose and get hit with big-time costs.

[plasmaorb]

10:41 AM on 02/16/2012

Apple is not a nice company.... their profits are so hi.gh because they have 6 year old kids building iphones for them at 25 cents a day... if they paid those people a real wage, they wouldnt have as much money coming in and their profits would be lower... i guess they are trying to sound like a good company now by doing an investigation, that will lead to nowhere.

[LightShadow62]

11:07 AM on 02/16/2012

The reality is that it would only cost about $10 more per unit to assemble the typical electronic device in shops that paid a fair wage. All of the highly technical work is done in clean rooms by robots and that supply chain would remain the same. This all comes down to greed.

[Rhancheck]

09:45 AM on 02/16/2012

Apple suing someone is about as common as the sun coming up......

[Pectin]

10:27 AM on 02/16/2012

So is reading a lame analogy in the comments section.

[plasmaorb]

10:40 AM on 02/16/2012

So is reading someones comment about someone elses comment trying to sound clever, but really isnt.

[CERDA]

11:58 AM on 02/16/2012

OOOOOOOOOOOH what witty reparte! my goodness, sir, how does one deliver so many comediac blows in such rapid succession? do you teach a course anywhere? perhaps you could explain to us in detail your process, because we are all dying to know how you gained access to this seemingly superior ability in the brain. PLEASE do share with us!

[China Rules]

09:35 AM on 02/16/2012

Good job, down with Kodak.
I am still mad at them for their shabby printer I bought from them.

[speedntktz]

03:23 PM on 02/16/2012

Not to mention how many patent law suits did Kodak have prior to their BK as their patent inventory was their only source of income. They began to become irrelevant when they stopped innovating. It's some how OK for Kodak to sue but not Apple?