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SINGAPORE : Creative Technology has been awarded the "Zen" patent in the US, giving it a much-needed boost in the battle for supremacy in the MP3 player market.
The patent is for Creative's invention of the user interface for portable media players.
It is found in Creative's MP3 players and could also be found in some competing players, such as the Apple iPod and iPod mini.
Creative said the patent covers the way music tracks are selected on a device using a hierarchy of three or more successive screens.
"The first portable media player based upon the user interface covered in our Zen Patent was our NOMAD Jukebox MP3 player," said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative, in a statement.
He also noted that Creative had shipped the NOMAD Jukebox to US retail customers in Sept 2000.
The award may allow Creative to collect royalties from its competitors.
The MP3 player market is highly competitive, with Creative trying to gain market share on the leader Apple.
Creative recently posted its first quarterly loss in three years.
It has just launched its new X-Fi audio standard in a bid to shore up its revenue and profit margins. - CNA /ct/ch
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