????本周早些時(shí)候，技術(shù)巨頭霍尼韋爾公司（Honeywell）對(duì)硅谷新創(chuàng)企業(yè)Nest Labs提起訴訟,，稱后者廣受歡迎的Nest Learning智能恒溫器設(shè)計(jì)侵犯了自己的專利,。鑒于霍尼韋爾是《財(cái)富》美國(guó)500強(qiáng)（Fortune 500）公司，此舉無(wú)疑令人驚訝,，但也并非全無(wú)來(lái)由,。
????Nest公司原有的庫(kù)存在11月已經(jīng)全部售罄。這家公司由托尼?法德?tīng)杽?chuàng)建,，他曾在蘋(píng)果公司（Apple）擔(dān)任工程師,，號(hào)稱iPod之父。Nest精巧的恒溫器給乏味的家居設(shè)備市場(chǎng)帶來(lái)了新意,。但霍尼韋爾聲稱Nest的某些核心技術(shù)侵犯了其知識(shí)產(chǎn)權(quán),。比如，這款恒溫器能從別的能源來(lái)源獲取電能,；能詢問(wèn)用戶的能源使用習(xí)慣并理解消化用戶的回應(yīng),。盡管標(biāo)志性的圓形恒溫器是霍尼韋爾知名度最高的產(chǎn)品，但它只是該公司的一小部分業(yè)務(wù),?；裟犴f爾的業(yè)務(wù)范圍廣泛，從空運(yùn)到條形碼掃描器無(wú)所不包,。
????Nest的產(chǎn)品去年秋天上市,，大受好評(píng),。此后,，霍尼韋爾對(duì)這家后起之秀可謂嫉恨不已。今年1月,，霍尼韋爾首席執(zhí)行官戴夫?科特造訪了《財(cái)富》（Fortune）位于紐約的辦公室,。當(dāng)時(shí)，我說(shuō)起Nest恒溫器,，感嘆它的熱量,。科特立即反唇相譏：“Nest的銷(xiāo)量根本沒(méi)那么好,?！都~約時(shí)報(bào)》（New York Times）報(bào)道說(shuō)得很清楚?！笨铺厮傅目赡苁?a title="" target="_blank">《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》科技專欄作家大衛(wèi)?波格所寫(xiě)的那篇“熱情洋溢”的評(píng)測(cè),。《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》的另一篇報(bào)道介紹了包括霍尼韋爾Prestige HD在內(nèi)的多款新式恒溫器,，不過(guò)Nest仍是其中最受推崇的一款,?；裟犴f爾對(duì)此并未置評(píng)。
????無(wú)論科特對(duì)Nest的實(shí)際銷(xiāo)量是否心中有數(shù),，因?yàn)镹est并未披露具體銷(xiāo)量,，但Nest獲得的市場(chǎng)關(guān)注讓科特頗為不安，這一點(diǎn)顯而易見(jiàn),。成立于1906年的霍尼韋爾顯然已經(jīng)深刻感受到了來(lái)自Nest Labs的威脅,，因此決定不惜時(shí)間（和金錢(qián)），將Nest告上法庭,。調(diào)研公司MarketTools研究解決方案部副總裁馬克?德蘭尼稱：“如果某家公司沒(méi)有成為行業(yè)領(lǐng)袖的潛力,，競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手根本不會(huì)關(guān)注它?！钡绿m尼同時(shí)還是一位家電領(lǐng)域的分析師,。
????霍尼韋爾去年銷(xiāo)售額為365億美元，員工數(shù)量多達(dá)13萬(wàn),，因此,，這場(chǎng)訴訟很像是小個(gè)子與巨無(wú)霸的戰(zhàn)斗。但Nest卻不是普普通通的小個(gè)子,。這家新創(chuàng)企業(yè)財(cái)力雄厚并背靠硅谷傳奇投資公司凱鵬華盈（Kleiner Perkins）,，而且創(chuàng)始人法德?tīng)柍鲎匀缛罩刑斓奶O(píng)果公司，這無(wú)疑大大提高了Nest的知名度,。德蘭尼稱：“看看Nest身后的眾多大人物以及他們手頭握有的雄厚資金,，即使是霍尼韋爾這樣的巨頭也應(yīng)該明白，Nest并不是一個(gè)由幾個(gè)人在車(chē)庫(kù)里開(kāi)辦的小作坊,?！贝_實(shí)，Nest Labs在一封電子郵件聲明中明確表示,，Nest“有資源,、支持和信心”打贏這場(chǎng)官司。 |
|
|
????Earlier this week, the technology giant Honeywell filed a lawsuit against Silicon Valley startup Nest Labs for allegedly infringing on Honeywell patents in designing its acclaimed Nest Learning Thermostat. While it was a surprising move for the Fortune 500 company, it wasn't totally out of the blue.
????The Nest, which sold out its original inventory in November, is the creation of Tony Fadell, former Apple (AAPL) engineer and father of the iPod. The slick thermostat promises glitzy changes in the mostly stale market for such household devices. But Honeywell (HON) is contending that some of the Nest's core technologies -- like the device's capability to take power from another energy source, and its ability to ask questions and understand responses about a user's energy habits -- are its intellectual property. While the iconic round thermostat is Honeywell's most recognizable product, it is a small part of the company's business. It has tentacles in everything from air transportation to barcode scanners.
????Honeywell has been peeved with the upstart newcomer since it started getting major media buzz after it hit stores last fall. When Honeywell's CEO Dave Cote visited Fortune's New York City office in January, he countered quickly when I brought up how well the Nest was selling. "The Nest hasn't sold really well, the New York Times has written about it really well," he shot back. Cote is likely talking about a glowing review by Times technology columnist David Pogue. Another Times piece mentions a handful of new wave thermostats including the Honeywell Prestige HD, but is most enthusiastic about the Nest. Honeywell did not respond to a request for comment.
????Whether or not Cote has a point about the Nest's actual numbers -- the company doesn't release that information -- his frustration over Nest's attention is telling. It seems clear that Honeywell, which has been around since 1906, is threatened enough by Nest Lab's momentum that it is willing to put up with the hassle (and fees) of a lawsuit. "You don't go after someone who isn't potentially going to be a leader in the category," says Mark Delaney, vice president of research solutions at the company MarketTools, who also has a background as an analyst in the home appliance sector.
????While the suit may seem like David versus Goliath -- Honeywell had sales of $36.5 billion last year and has a workforce of 130,000 -- Nest is no ordinary David. The startup has the deep pockets and backing of legendary Silicon Valley investor Kleiner Perkins, and the natural PR machine of being ex-Apple at a time when Apple is riding its highest wave yet. "Any time you see the depth of the people backing that company and the bankrolls that come along with it, even if you're Honeywell, you know this is not some little startup by some guy in a garage," says Delaney. Indeed, in an email statement, Nest Labs firmly says that it has the "resources, support and conviction" to defend itself against the suit. |
