2014年7月1日,營業處所設立於美國德拉瓦州的專利授權公司Sequent Data, LLC(下稱Sequent Data),向美國德拉瓦州聯邦地院提起專利侵權告訴,控告我國廠商華碩電腦(ASUSTeK Computer, Inc.,下稱華碩)及其美國分公司Asus Computer International,其所製造販賣與進口至美國、具備燒錄功能之外接藍光光碟機產品,如SBC-06D2X-U、SBW-06D2X-U、BW-12D1S-U等型號之產品、以及內接光碟機產品,如BW-12D1S-U、BW-14D1XT、BW-14D1XT、BW-12B1ST等型號之產品(以下統稱系爭產品),侵害Sequent Data所擁有之兩項、與將資料寫入光碟之技術相關的專利權利。
Sequent Data在訴狀中指出,系爭產品所具備、依據藍光光碟技術標準、持續在一個只寫一次藍光光碟(write-once Blu-Ray disc)上、持續寫入資料來仿真出一個讀/寫檔案系統的功能,侵害本案兩項系爭專利權利。
本案兩項系爭專利之原始權利人均為DPHI Acquisitions, Inc.,內容如下:
- 美國專利編號US 7,051,054,名稱為「用來在一只寫一次儲存光碟上仿真出讀/寫檔案系統的方法與裝置(Method and apparatus for emulating read/write file system on a write-once storage disk)」,發明人為Lane W. Lee與Michael B. Propps,於2006年5月23日核發;
- 美國專利編號US 6,738,333,名稱為「用來在一儲存光碟上紀錄資料的格式(Format for recording data in a storage disk)」,發明人為Daniel R. Zaharris、Lane W. Lee、Stanton M. Keeler與Michael B. Propps,於2004年5月18日核發。
Sequent Data在本案起訴同日,亦向相同法院提起另外8起專利侵權告訴,控告LG、Panasonic、Pioneer等多家廠商之藍光光碟機產品侵害本案系爭專利權利。
有關Sequent Data之公開資訊並不多,但從訴狀所揭露的德拉瓦州營業處所地址,則與另一家專利授權公司Micro Design LLC (下稱Micro Design)相同。Micro Design在2014年6月27日向本案相同法院提起7起專利侵權告訴(其訴訟代理人亦與本案相同,為Devlin Law Firm LLC的Timothy Devlin),控告宏碁(1:14-cv-00835)、華碩(1:14-cv-00837)、聯想(1:14-cv-00840)、Dell(1:14-cv-00838)等電腦大廠所製造販賣的伺服器或工作站產品,侵害Micro Design所擁有之US 7,437,535專利權利。(1069字;表3)
表一、請求項解析
US 7,051,054請求項1 |
US 6,738,333請求項1 |
1. A method for emulating an erasable storage medium using a non-erasable optical disk, wherein the optical disk includes a writing area formed in a spiral track, the method comprising: 一項使用一個不可抹除光碟仿真出一個可抹除儲存媒體的方法,其中前述光碟包括一個螺旋軌形式的寫入區域,前述方法包含 |
1. A data storage disk (FIG.2 - 10) comprising: 一項資料儲存光碟,包含 |
writing a plurality of data files in the writing area, wherein a first data file is written from a first end of the spiral track, a second data file is written from the end of the first data file on the spiral track, and so on for remaining data files;寫入複數資料檔至前述寫入區域,其中第一個資料檔是從前述螺旋軌之第一尾端開始被寫入,第二個資料檔是從前述第一個資料檔在前述螺旋軌上的尾端開始被寫入,而剩下資料檔亦如此依序寫入 |
a writeable area (FIG.2 - 12) having a servo track, the writeable area including:具備一個伺服軌的一個可寫入區域‧前述可寫入區域包括 |
generating a system sector for the data files, wherein the system sector identifies, for each data file, its location in the writable area and its size;為前述資料檔產生一系統扇區,其中前述系統扇區指出,個別資料檔在可寫入區域的位址與檔案大小 |
a writeable system area (FIG.2 - 120) formed beginning adjacent to an inner boundary (FIG.2 – 12A) of the writeable area out toward the outer boundary (FIG.2 – 12B) of the writeable area as data is written to said writeable area; 一個在資料被寫入前述可寫入區域時、從前述可寫入區域內緣邊界鄰接處開始、朝前述可寫入區域外緣邊界所形成之可寫入系統區域 |
writing the system sector in the writable area, wherein the system sector is written from the remaining end of the spiral track;將前述系統扇區寫入前述可寫入區域,其中前述系統扇區是從前述螺旋軌之另一端開始被寫入 |
a writeable data area (FIG.2 - 122) formed beginning adjacent an outer boundary of the writeable area in toward the inner boundary of the writeable area as data is written to said writeable area, the writeable system area containing attributes of data stored in the writeable data area; and 一個在資料被寫入前述可寫入區域時、從前述可寫入區域外緣邊界鄰接處開始、朝前述可寫入區域內緣邊界所形成之可寫入資料區域,前述可寫入系統區域存有被儲存在前述可寫入資料區域中資料之屬性 |
generating an updated system sector whenever there is a change in the data files stored on the writable area, wherein the updated system sector identifies only, for each changed data file, its location in the writable area and its size, the unchanged data files being identified by the system sector; and 每當被儲存在前述可寫入區域中的資料檔有所改變時,產生一個更新的系統扇區,其中前述更新的系統扇區僅指出,個別被改變之資料檔在前述可寫入區域之位置以及其檔案大小,以及被前述系統扇區所指出之未被改變的資料檔 |
a blank region (FIG.2 - 124) separating the writeable system area and the writeable data area, said blank region decreasing in size as said data is written to said writeable area.一個區隔前述可寫入系統區域與可寫入資料區域的空白區,前述空白區之大小會縮減,當前述資料被寫入前述可寫入區域時 |
writing the updated system sector in the writable area, wherein the updated system sector is written from the end of the system sector on the spiral track.將前述更新的資料扇區寫入前述可寫入區域,其中前述更新的資料扇區是從在前述螺旋軌上之前述資料扇區的尾端開始被寫入 |
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Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理,2014/07
表二、專利訴訟案件基本資料:Sequent data LLC控告華碩
Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理,2014/07
表三、Sequent Data基於本案系爭專利向本案相同法院所提起之其他告訴
提告日期 |
訴訟名稱 |
被告 |
案號 |
2014年7月1日 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Buffalo Americas Inc. et al |
Buffalo Americas Inc.Buffalo Inc.Melco Holdings Inc. |
1:14-cv-00856 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Hitachi-LG Data Storage Korea Inc. et al |
Hitachi-LG Data Storage Korea Inc.Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. |
1:14-cv-00857 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Memorex Products Inc. et al |
Memorex Products Inc.Imation Corp. |
1:14-cv-00858 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Panasonic Corporation of North America et al |
Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaPanasonic Corporation |
1:14-cv-00859 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. et al |
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.Pioneer Corporation |
1:14-cv-00860 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Plextor LLC et al |
Plextor LLCShinano Kenshi Co., Ltd.Shinano Kenshi Corporation |
1:14-cv-00861 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Sony Optiarc America Inc. et al |
Sony Optiarc America Inc.Sony Corporation of AmericaSony Corporation |
1:14-cv-00862 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea Corporation et al |
Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea CorporationSamsung Electronics America |
1:14-cv-00863 |
Sequent Data LLC v. Verbatim Americas LLC et al |
Verbatim Americas LLCMitsubishi Chemical Corporation |
1:14-cv-00864 |
Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理,2014/07
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