Apple Music Infringes 4 Patents, Alleges Federal Complaint in Chicago

The Apple Music service, plus the equipment, software and applications "implementing" it, infringe four U.S. patents dating to 2006 describing methods of creating and posting media for playback or for sharing in a communications network, alleged a complaint (in Pacer) Friday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Plaintiff Post Media owns the patents, all naming technology entrepreneur Alan Bartholomew as the sole inventor, said the complaint. Patent and Trademark Office records show they were originally assigned to Trio Systems in Pasadena, California. The patents are “rooted in computerized electronic data communications networks,” and describe “an improved method to deliver content and provide interface among different accounts and computing systems,” said the complaint. Bartholomew is nearing retirement and “spent much money and effort to develop his inventions and procure patents,” it said. He “hopes to recoup his costs without incurring financial risk to his family,” and so “turned to Post Media, whose purpose in part is to conduct the work necessary to reward and provide compensation to Mr. Bartholomew for the patents in suit,” it said. Apple didn’t comment.