Jurors in the Apple versus Samsung patent trial, taking place in a federal court in San Jose, California, will have to answer over 600 questions, in the very elaborate 20-page verdict, according to Bloomberg. The two companies have filed dozens of evidence on record, which includes 50 hours of pleading and evidence and complex calculations on the potential damage of billions of dollars.
The judge read the jury 109 pages of instructions needed to properly respond over 600 questions that must be answered for the verdict. Reading of the rules took more than two hours, as there were several “standing breaks” to ensure that jurors will pay attention.
The 600 questions concern three different categories of patents, each governed by a different set of rules: utility patents, design patents, and intellectual property rights for the “appearance” of products. Thus, the jury must first categorize each question in one of these groups, then reach a verdict by applying specific regulations and deliberations. The jury began deliberations Wednesday and the verdict must be unanimous for the lawsuit to result in a winner.
The lawsuit began in April 2011 when Apple accused Samsung that some Galaxy smartphones and tablets manufactured by South Korean are copies of the iPhone and iPad. The South Korean company counterattacked accusing Apple that it uses several patented telecommunication technologies held by Samsung. The two companies, which dominate the smartphone market, sued each other in similar lawsuits in 30 countries on four continents, as the federal court confrontation in San Jose was the first to get in front of a jury and is close to being resolved.
Apple wants damages up to $2.75 billion and called the judge to impose the temporary ban on sale of Samsung tablet in the U.S. to become permanent, in which case the company may require extending the ban to other products, including smartphones. Apple claims that over 28 Samsung products infringe intellectual property rights, and the jurors have to decide which companies of the South Korean group – the parent company or the two divisions in the United States – would be responsible for charges. The damage must be determined individually for each product found “guilty” and each infringed patent.
Samsung claims that Apple has violated five of the South Korean company’s patents and requested royalties of $421.8 million.
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