Laptops UK
 
 
One Laptop Per Child Sued for USD20 Million
Mon, 07 Jan 2008
Having already announced its intention to sue the One Laptop Per Child organization, Lagos Analysis Corporation have attempted to claim $20 million in damages from the scheme, as well as an injunction blocking the project from distributing in Nigeria . The claims are based on alleged infringement of intellectual property rights, with OLPC’s chairman Nicholas Negroponte accused of stealing technology from a Lagos product without permission.

OLPC’s lawyers have declined to pay out the $20 million claim, instead requesting the Nigerian company clarify which technology OLPC has allegedly infringed. It is alleged that Mr Negroponte purchased two LANCOR keyboards in August 2006, using their technology to assist the building of the keyboards used in the XO laptop being sold by the organization. The LANCOR keyboard in question has a special system enabling the use of symbols and special characters.

Direct negotiations are yet to take place as Lagos went directly to the Nigerian courts in an attempt to gain an injunction whilst waiting for a hearing date to be set.