The court filing claims the plaintiff was "first to file a device so designed and aggregated” and that the device inspired the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. He's seeking a jury trial and is seeking restitution of $10 billion and a royalty of up to 1.5% on Apple's worldwide sales of “infringing” devices.

No word on why Ross waited so long to sue. After all, the iPad arrived in 2001, and the iPhone debuted in 2007. No word on why Ross waited nine years to sue. After all, the iPhone debuted in 2007. What’s more, Apple came out with the Newton -- a personal digital assistant -- in 1993, and was working on the project some five years before Ross produced his drawings.