Elta Systems Loses Patent for Secure Military Phone Technology
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Elta Systems has lost a patent for cybersecurity protection on classified military smartphones after a six-year legal battle. The Israeli Patent Office canceled the patent, which involved enhancing security on commercial devices, following a challenge by High-Sec Systems. Elta Systems plans to appeal the decision, which could affect its revenue. The patent office ruled that the technology was not novel and comprised known components.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Elta Systems lost a patent for secure military smartphone technology after a six-year legal dispute.
- The Israeli Patent Office canceled the patent, citing a lack of novelty and existing prior art.
- High-Sec Systems challenged the patent, arguing Elta was attempting to monopolize known solutions.
- Elta Systems, a subsidiary of IAI, intends to appeal the patent cancellation decision.
- The cancellation could impact Elta Systems' revenue, though the exact amount is unknown.
Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has lost a patent for cybersecurity protection on classified smartphones used by military and security personnel. The patent, which involved software and an external device to enhance security by disabling original wireless communication channels, was canceled by the Israeli Patent Office following a six-year legal dispute.
The cancellation came after High-Sec Systems, a company controlled by Roni and Aviv Sofer, filed a request to revoke the patent. High-Sec Systems argued that Elta was attempting to monopolize existing and well-known technological solutions, claiming that the concept of upgrading existing mobile devices with external modems and disabling original communication channels was already widely used by militaries for secure communication.
Elta Systems announced its intention to appeal the decision to the Tel Aviv District Court, as the patent's cancellation could impact its revenue stream, though the extent is currently unknown. The company contended that its patent was innovative and that none of the presented civilian solutions allowed for irreversible hardware disabling. Elta also rejected claims that the patent merely implemented basic regulatory requirements or mandatory security standards.
In the patent office's decision, intellectual property adjudicator Dr. Roya Israeli stated that all components of the patent, including the external security add-on, the cellular modem, disabling communication channels via software or hardware, were already known. She concluded that combining these known components for the purpose of upgrading security for classified communication did not constitute a new invention and was therefore not eligible for patent protection.
IAI responded by stating, "IAI is among the leading companies in the country and a leader among defense industries in patent registration that contribute to the security of the State of Israel. The company continues to promote and develop the most advanced technologies in the world."
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