MobileFone.in

Affinity labs of texas LLC has accused Apple, through its iPhone, iPod, iTunes, i Tune store and Appstore of violating three of its patent(via arstechnica.com). Those patents are “System and Method for communicating selected information to an electronic device”, “Audio System and Method” and “content Delivery Syastem”. Affinity Labs claims that these patents cover such activities as buying songs via the iTunes Store and/or using iTunes to download music to an iPod or iPhone, buying software via the App Store and/or using iTunes to download it to an iPhone, and playing digital audio on an iPod or iPhone via an external device such as a car audio system or external speakers.

Affinity Labs appears to own six US patents dealing with digital audio, and exists to allow “entrepreneurs or existing businesses to take our ideas and create or expand their businesses” according to its Spartan website. The site doesn’t discuss in any detail what its IP is or how it could be licensed and used. The company has similar suits pending against nearly every car manufacturer, car audio company, and a handful of electronics companies. In two of those suits, the defendants have filed countersuits against Affinity Labs.