[NewsPoster]

Delaware non-practicing entity B.E. Technology has filed suit against Apple in the Tennessee Western District Court in Memphis. B.E. Technology is claiming that Apple is infringing on two patents it holds in regards to targeted advertising. The company is asserting its patents against nearly Apple's entire line of products, including both iOS and OS X hardware and software.

The first patent asserted is patent number 6628314, a "computer interface method and apparatus with targeted advertising." The patent makes allowance for a "two-tiered, real-time targeting of advertising -- both demographically and reactively," such as application-specific adverttising. Patent 6771290 covers a "computer interface method and apparatus with portable network organization system and targeted advertising." The patent is very similarly worded, and specifies that the "software application includes programming that accesses the server to determine if one or more components of the application need upgrading." Specific violating technologies in the suit are the Safari web browser, Software Update, other aspects of the Finder, and the entire iAd program. B.E. Technology seeks unspecified financial damages in the suit.

[Zanziboy]

Hang the patent trolls!

[cgc]

The patent is essentially saying what advertisers have been doing forever...target people with ads showing products they might actually like/want. The NFL has beer and snack food ads targeting a specific demographic...why aren't they being sued? Are they not rich enough to sue yet?

[b9bot]

These patents are so generally vague, it could be applied to anything. I hope the courts or Judge see this and throw them out on there asses!

[jreades]

I'm pretty sure that my company wasn't the only one involved in doing demographic-led banner advertising prior to the filing date of this patent (1998).

In fact, surely the mere mention of Double-Click (now part of Google's AdSense network, if memory serves) invalidates this?