It was only a matter of time before someone took a run at Apple’s famous iPhone and it is reported that Minerva Industries, Inc. launched a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple on Tuesday, mere hours after the unknown company was told that its US patent issued (Patent No. 7,321,783 entitled “Mobile Entertainment and Communication Device”). A portion of figure 1 from the patent is excerpted at left.
From reading the claims, this inventor should have every cell-phone maker on the planet running scared. Something tells me the cell-phone industry will try and compare notes on this one to dig up some prior art. Apple is no stranger to IP lawsuits over its iPhone. After all, the product was launched in the midst of a highly-publicized trade-mark infringement fight.

Calgary – 21:35 MST