NCR sued in 2001, claiming that over 20 years previously it had
designed "a revolutionary new device and system for handling and
transmitting data" small enough to fit in the user's hand. NCR,
formerly known as National Cash Register, alleged that its design
incorporated many of the same tools found in the popular Palm and
Handspring PDAs.
The lawsuit also claimed that Palm and Handspring knew of the
NCR patent but decided not to seek licences.
The case was dismissed in July 2002. At the time, the federal Judge
said that NCR's patents did not apply to either Palm's or
Handspring's products or technology. NCR appealed, but in September
2003, Judge Kent Jordan upheld the Delaware district court ruling,
and dismissed the case against Palm and Handspring.
NCR appealed again, and last Thursday Judges Haldane Robert
Mayer, Randall Rader and Alvin Schall ruled that Palm and
Handspring, which became palmOne in late 2003, had committed no
patent infringements.
