Noise Free Wireless is a company that holds a 2010 patent regarding a certain method of noise reduction during a call on a cell phone. The patent was originally filed as far back as 2007. The company has now claimed that it had been in talks with Apple over its noise reduction technology but that now Apple has gone on to duplicate and modify this technology and use it on its own.
According to Noise Free, it had been in talks with Apple ever since 2007. The company had a number of meetings at Apple’s headquarters and claims that in the course of these meetings, it provided Apple with key confidential data regarding its noise free technology.
The confidential information that was divulged included an evaluation circuit board which was central to the technology. The two even signed a non-disclosure agreement in 2008 to keep this confidential data safe.
And now, Noise Free alleges, it had learned that Apple has decided to use its proprietary technology in its products. Not only that, Apple has also filed a patent in 2010 to gain ownership of a noise reduction technology which is similar.
The main charge from Noise Free is that Apple ‘extracted Noise Free’s proprietary and confidential object code, determined Noise Free’s noise reduction software and measured and duplicated the signal traces from the circuit board and microcontroller.’ Moreover, the company alleges that the patent that has been filed by Apple also contains many traces of the confidential information from Free Noise.
Noise Free is now suing Apple over these charges and has asked the court to hold Apple responsible for misusing trade secrets as well as breach of contract between the two companies. Naturally, it is also asking for damages to be paid over this.
Source: Noise Free Wireless vs Apple
Courtesy: Computer World
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