[youtube]http://youtu.be/Ku0H10_G1X4[/youtube]
Xiao i Robot este un software foarte asemanator cu Siri-ul implementat de catre Apple in iDevice-urile sale, iar compania care l-a dezvoltat sustine ca Siri ii incalca unele drepturi de proprietate intelectuala. Chinezii sustin ca unele componentele ale sistemului de recunoastere vocala sunt cele care le incalca brevetele de inventie, insa sistemul utilizat in Siri este implementat folosind si tehnologia celor de la Nuance, deci Apple ar trebui sa fie singura companie implicata, desi cei de la Nuance nu au fost chemati in proces.
Apple appeared in a Shanghai court on Wednesday, accused by a Chinese firm of copying software used for the “Siri” personal assistant on its hugely popular iPhones. Shanghai’s Zhizhen Network Technology Co. claims Apple infringed its patent for voice recognition software, and the two companies will exchange evidence at a pre-trial hearing, representatives of the Chinese firm said. Zhizhen says it patented its “Xiao i Robot” software in 2004, while Apple’s Siri, which made its debut with the release of the iPhone 4S in 2011, was first developed in 2007. “The company will ask Apple to stop manufacturing and selling products using its patent rights, once Apple’s infringement is confirmed,” Si Weijiang, a lawyer representing Zhizhen, told AFP. “We don’t exclude the possibility of demanding compensation in the future,” he added.
Software-ul din spatele Xiao i Robot este utilizat deja in televizoare si aplicatii dedicate companiilor, insa deocamdata nu pare sa fi fost implementat intr-o aplicatie disponibila pe smartphone-uri sau tablete. Software-ul chinezilor a fost dezvoltat in anul 2004, cu 3 ani inaintea inceperii procesului de dezvoltare a Siri, insa asta nu inseamna ca dezvoltatorii sai au neaparat dreptate. Apple va incerca sa isi apere asistentul in fata judecatorilor chinezi, probabil se va folosi si de brevetele celor de la Nuance pentru a face acest lucru si ramane doar de vazut daca va avea succes.
