Cisco sues Apple for iPhone infringement |
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Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:18
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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AFX) - Cisco Systems Inc. said late Wednesday it filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Apple Inc., seeking to prevent Apple from infringing upon, copying and using Cisco's registered iPhone trademark.Mac computer and iPod maker Apple on Tuesday unveiled the iPhone, its 'game-changing' touch-screen-controlled cell phone device that plays music, surfs the Web and delivers voicemail and e-mail.Cisco said it obtained the iPhone trademark in 2000 after completing the acquisition of Infogear, which previously owned the mark and sold iPhone products for several years. Infogear's original filing for the trademark dates to March 20, 1996.Linksys, a division of Cisco, has been shipping a new family of iPhone products since early last year. On Dec. 18, Linksys expanded the iPhone family with additional products.'Cisco entered into negotiations with Apple in good faith after Apple repeatedly asked permission to use Cisco's iPhone name,' said Mark Chandler, Cisco senior vice president and general counsel, in a statement. 'There is no doubt that Apple's new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission.'Cisco is seeking injunctive relief to prevent Apple from copying Cisco's iPhone trademark.'Today's iPhone is not tomorrow's iPhone. The potential for convergence of the home phone, cell phone, work phone and PC is limitless, which is why it is so important for us to protect our brand,' Chandler added.Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Apple's `iPhone' name still unsettled 