By Tony Smith for The Register. This story has
been reproduced with permission.
The lawsuit
was filed in June 2005 by David Contois of Contois Music and
Technology. Contois alleged that iTunes' UI was based on ideas set
down in his patent number 5,864,868. The patent was filed in
February 1996 and granted in January 1999.
iTunes started life as SoundJam, a music playback application
published in 1999 by Casady & Greene. Apple acquired the
program and hired its developer in 2000. The following year it
relaunched the software as iTunes.
Contois' complaint cited 19 instances where iTunes' UI matches
elements described in his patent, including its track search and
selection system, and the ability to transfer songs to a portable
device.
Apple always maintained its innocence and denied Contois'
allegations of wilfull infringement.
Contois and Apple reached an accord after 15 solid hours' of
negotiation, the Burlington Free Press reports.
© The Register
2006
