Palm Says NCR Suit Without Merit

Posted By: Ed on Tuesday, March 20, 2001 8:55:32 AM

Palm has thrown down the gauntlet to NCR. They issued a statement yesterday that said that Palm believes the patent lawsuit filed against it and Handspring "has no merit". Handspring has already issued a similar statement. Last week, NCR alleged that the two company's handheld computers infringe two NCR-owned patents for a type of "portable personal terminal."

"Palm will defend itself vigorously," said Stephen Yu, Palm's general counsel.

The patents are for a "Portable personal terminal for use in a system for handling transactions," and for a "System for handling transactions including a portable personal terminal." They were both granted in 1987.

The papers filed said, in part, "Palm and Handspring knew about the NCR patents; however, they chose not to seek licenses from NCR." The company asked for a jury trial and demanded compensatory and actual damages. They also asked that both Palm and Handspring be blocked from producing any more of the infringing devices.

NCR Sues Palm and Handspring

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Handspring and Palm are right...

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 10:52:14 AM #

This is without merit and merely the last gasp of a dying company searching for capital.

Why only Palm & Handspring??

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 11:48:40 AM #

The fact that only Palm & Handspring are targeted while Sony, Symbol, Kyocera, Handera & any other Palm OS liscence aren't named seems EXTREMELY ODD. Plus the fact that any Pocket PC device would also seem to fit into NCR's patent description. From just the limited information i have read it does seem that NCR's case has no real ground to stand on. Plus they haven't even made an attempt to make such a poartable device. [at least apple tried, & why didn't they get name or for that matter why isn't RIM getting accused ?? or what about Nokia, they supposedly have mobile phones in Finland that can carry out transactions so why are they being accused too !]

-len garnett

Yeah NCR has patent on Terminal

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 12:24:53 PM #

I mean dumb terminal! That is what I use at campus ground when the giant computer room serve as your processors. Yet I think my Palm seems to do much better than that and need no servers driven behind it, unless NCR think they are the only ISP that is suitable for it.

VERY Odd Indeed!

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 6:01:09 PM #

I agree. Odd timing & targets. Also, why not sue in 1993 when Apple released the Newton??
Have their lawyers been asleep for 8 years?

I'm not a lawyer

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 7:09:51 PM #

"Portable personal terminal for use in a system for handling transactions" sounds like it should encompass ANY laptop, cellphone, or PDA that can get on the net and access a bank, not just Palms and PocketPCs. I don't know how lawyers can live with themselves.

What about notebooks

George @ 3/21/2001 1:56:23 AM #

I would say a notebook PC fits the description far better. After all they can be connected to a network directly for the purpose of carrying out a transaction.

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