Zen patent used by Apple iPod, Creative claims

SINGAPORE sound giant Creative Technology said the US patent office has awarded it a patent on technology and claims that is also used by the Apple iPod.

The Zen patent, number 6,928,433, governs the user interface which allows portable media player players to navigate and select tracks, said the firm.

Sim Wong Hoo, CEO of Creative, said the user interface... was invented by Creative research and development engineers, and first filed on January 5th 2001.

Whether Creative will try and enforce its patent isn't clear, although the press statement noted an Apple application for a user interface was recently rejected by the patent office. µ