TV host and Typo co-founder Ryan Seacrest
The Ryan Seacrest-backed Typo Keyboards is facing a second lawsuit from BlackBerry that alleges the company’s new keyboard case for the iPhone infringes on existing patents.
Typo, a hardware firm founded by the US TV host alongside entrepreneur Laurence Hallier, was sued by the Canadian smartphone company last year for copying BlackBerry’s distinctive keyboard with its clip-on iPhone case.
Blackberry won an injunction against the product and, earlier this month, Typo was ordered to pay US$860,600 in sanctions and legal fees and after the court said Typo had blatantly violated the initial ruling.
As reported by Reuters, Blackberry is now seeking to stop sales of the redesigned Typo 2 case as well, having filed a new complaint with the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday (16 February)
“Just as they did with the Typo Keyboard, defendants have again copied numerous proprietary BlackBerry designs and patents in the Typo2 Keyboard,” said BlackBerry in its complaint.
“The Typo2 Keyboard still blatantly copies BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard trade dress designs that have been embodied in numerous BlackBerry smartphones from the 2007 BlackBerry 8800 to the current Q10 and Classic models.
“The Typo2 Keyboard also infringes numerous BlackBerry utility patents related to BlackBerry’s proprietary keyboard design, backlighting and typing automation technologies.”
A Typo2 Keyboard clipped to the bottom of an iPhone
Ryan Seacrest photo via Shutterstock
