Cerence, once part of Nuance Communications which powered Siri’s early speech recognition, has filed a lawsuit against Apple. The company claims Apple infringed on multiple patents covering virtual keyboards, text input, and wake word detection. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
According to the complaint, Cerence approached Apple in 2021 to discuss a possible acquisition or license of its patents. The company says it provided Apple with portfolio overviews, spreadsheets showing Apple’s own patent filings that referenced Cerence, and charts mapping its patents to Apple products. Cerence alleges Apple declined to reach any agreement.
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Patents at the center of the dispute
The lawsuit highlights several patents. Among them:
- U.S. Patent No. 7,251,367, covering systems that recognize word patterns based on a virtual keyboard layout. Cerence argues Apple’s iPhones and iPads running iOS 13 and later use this technology.
- U.S. Patent No. 7,453,439, related to continuous stroke word-based text input, commonly known as “slide to type.”
- U.S. Patent No. 7,750,891, which covers systems that track the motion of a pointing device.
- U.S. Patents No. 8,712,755 and No. 9,256,580, which describe shorthand-on-keyboard input systems.
- U.S. Patent No. 9,361,885, which covers voice command detection, including low-power wake word monitoring such as “Hey Siri.”
Cerence says Apple products including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and HomePods infringe on these patents.
In the filing (via 9to5mac), Cerence asks the court to stop Apple from further infringement, order damages, impose ongoing licensing fees, and grant a jury trial.
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