BEIJING: A Chinese technology firm has filed a legal challenge accusing USgiant Apple of infringing its patented voice recognition software with its Sirifunction on the iPhone, the company said on Saturday.
The move comes just days after Apple paid $60 million to end a disputeover who could use the iPad name in China.
Shanghai Zhizhen Network Technology patented its Xiao i Robot software in2004, while Apple's Siri, which made its debut with the release of the iPhone 4Slast year, was first developed in 2007.
The Chinese company's version operates in a similar way to Apple'spersonal assistant and works on the iOS and Android operating systems.
Si Weijiang, a lawyer acting for the Shanghai-based firm, said it hadtried to contact Apple two months ago over the alleged infringement butreceived no response.
"We sent legal notices to Apple in May, but no one contacted us. Wefiled the lawsuit in late June to the Shanghai number one intermediate people'scourt," Si told AFP. "Currently the case is at the court-mediatedstage."
"We mainly ask Apple to stop infringing on our patent and cover thecourt costs, but once the court confirms Apple has infringed on our patent, wewill propose compensation," he added.
The company's chairman, Yuan Hui, told the Apple Daily newspaper that thefirm had 100 million users in China.
"People feel that China has no innovation, that companies here justcopy. But in fact, we are leaders in our field, and we have created our owninnovation," Yuan told the paper.
It added that Apple was also facing legal action from another Chinesecompany for allegedly infringing its 'Snow Leopard' trademark.
The High Court of the southern province of Guangdong said on Monday thatApple had paid $60 million to settle a long-running legal battle with Chinesecomputer maker Shenzhen Proview Technology over the iPad name.
Both Proview, based in the southern city of Shenzhen, and Apple hadclaimed ownership of the Chinese rights to the 'iPad' trademark.
Proview's Taiwanese affiliate registered 'iPad' as a trademark in severalcountries including China as early as 2000 -- years before Apple began sellingits hugely successful tablet computer.
Analysts said the Chinese government wanted the matter resolved, wary ofthe damage a ruling against Apple could do for the foreign business climate inChina.
Greater China -- which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan -- has become Apple'sfastest-growing region, with revenues second only to the United States.
hitesh dsouza (mangalore) haha, all should read this first time im hearing a chinese company fillingcomplaint of using its patents. Agree (12)Disagree (6)Recommend (2)
哈哈，大家應該都是第一次聽說一家中國公司起訴專利受到侵犯。
aaksh (knl) replies to hitesh dsouza 8 hrs ago haha, and you are a jerk...haha Agree (1)Disagree (2)Recommend (0)
哈哈，你是個蠢人...哈哈
Naveen Shetty (Mangalore) 21 hrs ago Apple is getting their own dose medicine now that too from a Chinese company. Agree (23)Disagree (1)Recommend (6)
蘋果正在服的藥也是來自一家中國公司。
Kanmani Selvan (Trichy) shame on apple putting hands on the Chinese. Agree (7)Disagree (3)Recommend (1)
蘋果太無恥了，居然把手伸向中國人。
barti (shimla) replies to Kanmani Selvan 11 hrs ago shame on u for supporting china. don't u know chinese are expert in making fakethings. how come they patented siri's voice.they must have patented the fakevoice of siri. Agree (0)Disagree (4)Recommend (1)
Kanmani Selvan (Trichy) replies to barti All are not fake, every electronics that you are using are made in china. Evenif you have xperia s it is made in china, you can find it in the box of thatproduct.
Indian (India) replies to barti 8 hrs ago It's technology which was patented years before Siri was launched.... morepainful is - technology was within product reviewed by Apple (used on iOS) somax. chances that apple knew either they are copying or they are violatingcopyright laws....
Satya Jeet (Jaipur, Rajasthan) china is obviously the country who makes copies of original items at largescale. but apple is not a company which copies the features. they have alwaysbeen the leaders in innovating new things and technology. when whole worldlistened to walkman , Steve Jobs thought about ipod . so chinese shouldcooperate the apple for their new launch. its negative for their image to filecase against apple. Agree (9)Disagree (42)Recommend (1)
aaksh (knl) replies to Satya Jeet 8 hrs ago your comments seems coming out of 12-13 year old kid..... in that case nobodyshould mind what your express.... see the history of Apple - they are leadersin copying.... Agree (0)Disagree (1)Recommend (0)
Desi Apple Made in Kashmir (Galaxy Mumbai ) replies to Satya Jeet 18 hrsago U've no idea wot u r sayin.... Agree (5)Disagree (0)Recommend (0)
你不知道自己在說什么...
Indianwithamindofhisown (Mumbai) replies to Satya Jeet 20 hrs ago You are one of the mindless people who have the herd mentality. If this companyis able to prove that they had this technology patented before Apple did, stillpeople like you would worship Apple and support them. 80% of the humanpopulation is cattle with no mind or thoughts of their own. Agree (24)Disagree (2)Recommend (4)
brij (mumbai) replies to Indianwithamindofhisown 20 hrs ago Yeh like apple innovated the pc (copied from xerox) the ipad ( there wasalready something called as pdas some years back) ipod?? mp3 players whereselling a dime a dozen from creative and various other manufacturers evenbefore ipod was conceptualised. And frankly all apple products do have somegreat features and not so great features. but this has to be the most hypedcompany and product in the world. Agree (15)Disagree (1)Recommend (2)
Ninad Varadkar (Bahrain) Seems like everything is going wrong again for Apple after they lost SteveJobs............. Agree (3)Disagree (5)Recommend (0)
似乎在失去斯蒂夫·喬布斯后，蘋果公司一切都不那么順...
ab (Earth) 19 hrs ago Just see the hyped up emotions!!!!!! But it's painful tose a situation whereIndia being an IT giant DOES NOT have any product that can be called a PRODUCTTHAT CAN TAKE INTERNATIONAL STANDS.... but our COMMENTS surely are! Agree (17)Disagree (1)Recommend (4)
badegg (US) 13 hrs ago Just look at the scale of China's patent applications, this kind of cases willcome out more and more, and readers will get used to it, though many stilldon't. Agree (0)Disagree (1)Recommend (0)
Santanu (Malda West bengal) ha ha ha...biggest story(may be true) of the tech world...A chinese co.filinglawsuit against an american co. for patent violation...hi hi hi..I can't stoplaughing...Although I admit it can be true... Agree (0)Disagree (1)Recommend (0)
Raja (delhi) 10 hrs ago god !!!!!!!!!!! Are they crazy. ? they will go to any extend to gain (extort)profit to elevate the poverty in china.( even if they make other laugh withtheir false claims). don't they know they are only famous for copying andmaking the fake things. Agree (1)Disagree (3)Recommend (0)
Indian (India) replies to Raja 8 hrs ago how much you know about china without being there and assessing situation? itcan be a case (most likely) that Apple is keep on copying application fromapp-store, as application similar to siri was used by iOS and Androidusers........ remember, more the money more chances to be dishonest Agree (2)Disagree (2)Recommend (0)
Amit Kumar (Jalandhar, India) i think Apple will have a hard time in near future b'cos of this patent war andtough competion from Samsung electronics. Agree (1)Disagree (1)Recommend (1)
我認為不久的將來，蘋果會因為這個專利紛爭和來自三星電子的激烈競爭而日子不好過。
Mnzkri (Internet) 9 hrs ago If you thing Chinese will copy every thing then why do you make products inchina and sell world wide. why do you give you keys to the thief. Agree (1)Disagree (1)Recommend (0)
Anil Kumar (Delhi) Apple is fighting many legal suits against many competetor. It is because appleis finding difficult to survive in this modern changed scenario. So is US. Agree (1)Disagree (1)Recommend (0)
