Apple Struck with Flash Memory Lawsuit for iPod

Apple has been hit with another lawsuit filed last week in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of Henry Milan. Detroit-based law firm, Butzel Long Attorneys and Counselors, alleges Apple knowingly infringed on a patent for a flash memory drive by selling its iPod nano and iPod touch players, among other devices.

Although iPhone has never been mentioned in the complaint, the lawsuit could possibly cover the iPhone’s use of Flash memory and a connection port in a single unit.

Henry Milan filed the patent application for a “Flash Memory Drive with Quick Connector” in November 2004.

What became registered as US Patent 6991483 described the invention as:

…a flash memory drive with a quick connector in a housing [which is] adapted to engage a cooperating quick connector of a selected one of a plurality of different interchangeable connectors. The interchangeable connectors each have standard connector for connection with computers and other device that are compatible with the flash memory.

The patent was issued Jan. 31, 2006, while Apple introduced its iPod Nano on Sept. 7, 2005. According to Information Week:

On Dec. 20, 2007, Butzel Long attorney J. Michael Huget wrote Apple to notify the company of the alleged infringement and offered to discuss licensing terms for Milan’s patent… In a phone interview, Huget said he hoped the lawsuit would encourage Apple to respond to his client’s claim… The lawsuit seeks treble damages for willful infringement and an injunction against the sale of the iPod Nano and iPod Touch.

Butzel Long  employs an army of over 235 lawyers in offices throughout Michigan, New York, Washington D.C., Florida, Mexico and China. The firm’s practice ranges from clients on the cutting edge of technology and innovation to traditional industrial and manufacturing giants.