Patents

Eastman Kodak to Exit Camera Market

Posted on 16. Feb, 2012 by Frank Macey

The name synonymous with photography itself is not itself lately. Hot on the heels of its bankruptcy filing, Kodak has announced it will stop making digital cameras altogether. After 131 years in business the company plans to license its brand to other manufacturers and focus on digital printing.

Kodak quits making cameras

Kodak, long known for its photographic films, had trouble remaking itself in the digital camera world and stopped color film production in 2009. The failure of Kodak to reinvent itself is hard to believe for some, as the company invented the first digital camera in 1975.

Olympus Working on Medium Format Digital Camera?

Posted on 26. Dec, 2011 by Frank Macey

Hasselblad, Mamiya, Rollei, Pentax and... Olympus? Patent diagrams have emerged that have medium format camera fans wondering what's next on the horizon. The Olympus patent was filed in Japan for a vari-angle LCD display, which in itself is not very exciting. It's the camera form factor the display is shown to be attached to that is raising eyebrows.

Olympus LCD display patent

The shape of this camera doesn't look like a typical DSLR or compact consumer point and shoot. Rumors of collaboration between Samsung and Olympus have only added fuel to the fire, as photos of a prototype Samsung medium format digital camera have surfaced that seem to match the diagrams above.

Kodak Licenses Technology Amid Fujifilm Lawsuit

Posted on 17. Oct, 2011 by Frank Macey

Kodak has been in and out of the news lately thanks to intellectual property struggles as the company insists it has no intention of entering bankruptcy. A fresh lawsuit charging that Kodak has infringed several Fujifilm patents relating to digital cameras is now on the map. Fujifilm and Kodak were in talks over the issue however the dispute was not resolved.

Kodak logo

Fujifilm filed suit against Kodak as a result, and claims the company violated four of its patents involving the Kodak EasyShare M530 and C340 digital cameras. Fujfilm is demanding that Kodak pay damages and intends to prove its position in a jury trial in US District Court.

Kodak Not Guilty of Infringing Apple Patents

Posted on 19. Jul, 2011 by Thomas Estilow

The legal patent battles between Kodak and Apple over digital camera technology took another turn, as Apple's complaints against Kodak were rejected by the US International Trade Commission (ITC). Apple filed suit that its own patents were being violated by Kodak as Kodak complained that Apple and RIM were not paying the company royalties.

Kodak logo

Apple had claimed that Kodak violated its patents involving image processing in its Kodak C, M and Z series cameras as well as the Slice and Playsport devices. Now that Apple's complaint has been defeated, Kodak is looking to resolve its outstanding case against Apple.

Kodak Patent Complaint Rejected in First Round

Posted on 24. Jan, 2011 by Thomas Estilow

Kodak is suing Apple and Research in Motion (RIM), claiming that both companies have infringed upon its digital imaging technology patents. The preliminary ruling rejecting the complaint came down from the US International Trade Commission (ITC). According to Kodak, mobile phones including the BlackBerry and iPhone violate a 2001 patent covering photo previews.

Kodak patent infringement lawsuit

Both Apple and RIM have remained silent on the issue. Kodak has licensed digital imaging technology to 30 companies, including mobile phone giants Motorola and Nokia. The company currently holds one thousand digital imaging patents that are integral to most cameras on the market today.