2016年2月5日 星期五

蘋果這回栽在NPE手上,被判損害賠償6億美元 - VirnetX v. Apple

VirnetX是個非實施專利實體(NPE),宣稱擁有80件專利,經查目前以VirnetX為專利權人的美國專利有48件,靠專利授權獲利,員工只有14位。

http://virnetx.com/



VirnetX告上Apple Inc.,認為Apple侵害其4件專利權,相關被告疑似侵權程式如iMessage, Facetime等。報導指出,VirnetX曾於2012年獲得法院判決Apple應賠其3億多美元的勝訴,不過經Apple上訴,法院判VirnetX敗訴,理由是無法證明消費者之所以買Apple iPad等裝置是因為其中侵害專利權的軟體程式。

案件發回地院重審賠償金額,不料,新的陪審團認為Apple有蓄意侵犯專利權,因此又多罰了2億多美元。

訴訟討論:

受理法院:東德州地方法院
原告:VirnetX Inc.
被告:Apple Inc.
系爭專利:
US6,502,135、US7,490,151、US7,418,504、US7,921,211

系爭專利與權力主張的概要:
Apple's VPN on Demand 侵害US6,502,135與US7,490,151(判賠3億3千萬美元);
The FaceTime 蓄意侵害,這判賠2億9千萬美元。


第二次地院陪審團又多判了Apple應繳付2億多的賠償金給VirnetX。


系爭專利US6,502,135是建立VPN通道的技術,包括從客戶端電腦產生DNS請求,要取得IP,接著判斷是否此請求是要存取安全網站,之後根據得到的DNS,自動起始VPN通道。
1. A method of transparently creating a virtual private network (VPN) between a client computer and a target computer, comprising the steps of:
(1) generating from the client computer a Domain Name Service (DNS) request that requests an IP address corresponding to a domain name associated with the target computer;
(2) determining whether the DNS request transmitted in step (1) is requesting access to a secure web site; and
(3) in response to determining that the DNS request in step (2) is requesting access to a secure target web site, automatically initiating the VPN between the client computer and the target computer.
系爭專利US7,490,151界定一個數據處理裝置,有記憶體儲存DNS代理模組,可以取得網路上請求(對應伺服器)DNS的訊息,比對是否符合安全伺服器,藉此可以起始經加密的通道(VPN)。
1. A data processing device, comprising memory storing a domain name server (DNS) proxy module that intercepts DNS requests sent by a client and, for each intercepted DNS request, performs the steps of:
(i) determining whether the intercepted DNS request corresponds to a secure server;
(ii) when the intercepted DNS request does not correspond to a secure server, forwarding the DNS request to a DNS function that returns an IP address of a nonsecure computer, and
(iii) when the intercepted DNS request corresponds to a secure server, automatically initiating an encrypted channel between the client and the secure server.
系爭專利US7,418,504揭露提供網域名稱以建立安全連線的技術,系統如請求項1,包括有網域名稱伺服器,其中儲存網域名稱與對應的位址,同樣也支援建立客戶-系統端的安全通道(VPN)。
1. A system for providing a domain name service for establishing a secure communication link, the system comprising:
a domain name service system configured to be connected to a communication network, to store a plurality of domain names and corresponding network addresses, to receive a query for a network address, and to comprise an indication that the domain name service system supports establishing a secure communication link.
系爭專利US7,921,211揭露提供網域名稱以建立安全通道,系統即包括有網域名稱伺服器,可以根據DNS請求而進一步建立安全通道。
1. A system for providing a domain name service for establishing a secure communication link, the system comprising:
a domain name service system configured and arranged to be connected to a communication network, store a plurality of domain names and corresponding network addresses, receive a query for a network address, and indicate in response to the query whether the domain name service system supports establishing a secure communication link.
從這幾件專利特徵看來,直指iPhone或iPad中iMessage, Facetime訊號載送在安全通道的技術,先得到DNS後,建立VPN看來是個標準動作,不容易迴避。

補充:
雖說VirnetX是個NPE,也有說是Patent Troll,倒是他們還為了這個自動DNS建立安全連線的機制註冊服務商標,提到相關軟體的功能如下,這樣不是...就超命中:
"Our software and technology solutions provide the security platform required by next-generation Internet-based applications such as instant messaging, or IM, voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP, mobile services, streaming video, file transfer and remote desktop."


判決文:


VirnetX自己的新聞稿:
http://virnetx.com/virnetx-awarded-625-6-million-verdict-against-apple/

新聞來源:
http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/04/technology/apple-patent-lawsuit-virnetx/
http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/02/03/apple-ordered-to-pay-625m-in-revived-virnetx-patent-trial

Ron

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