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If you are wondering whether or not you have heard the “iPad” name in the past, before Apple ever revealed plans for its device, you could be right. Fujitsu (News - Alert) actually launched its own “iPad” in 2002.

According to a piece from the New York Times, the multifunctional device from the Tokyo technology company is used to enable shop clerks to verify prices, check inventory data in real-time and close sales on the go.

Fujitsu applied for a trademark on the iPad in 2003 and is now mounting a campaign against Apple (News - Alert) over rights to the name. Masahiro Yamane, director of Fujitsu’s public relations division, said on Thursday that the company is of the understanding that they own the name.

Apple plans to start marketing its own iPad in March -- and Fujistu is meeting with lawyers to determine the next step. While the products and target market vary, Fujitsu highlights the similarities between the products.

“Mobile is a keyword for Fujitsu’s iPad, too,” Yamane said. “With the iPad, workers don’t have to keep running back to a computer. They have everything right at their fingertips.”

The iPad from Fujitsu runs on Microsoft’s CE.NET operating system. It sports a 3.5-inch color touch screen, an Intel (News - Alert) processor and WiFi and Bluetooth connections. The device also supports VoIP telephone calls over the Internet.

One obvious difference in the device from Fujitsu compared with Apple’s is price. Fujitsu markets its own iPad for more than $2,000; Apple will make its entry-level model available for $499.

While this should be a clear case of trademark ownership, the problem is that Fujitsu never completed the process. The company was first stalled because of an earlier filing by Mag-Tech, an information technology security company based in Seal Beach, California. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shows Fijutsu’s application as being abandoned in early 2009, but the company claims it revived its application in June.

In July, Apple relied on a proxy to apply for an international trademark for the iPad. The company has also filed a string of requests for more time oppose Fujitsu’s application. The company has until February 28 to determine whether or not it will oppose Fujitsu’s claim to the name.

In other Fujitsu news, the company was recognized by TMC (News - Alert) recently with the First Annual Wireless Backhaul Distinction Awards for the Fujitsu FLASHWAVE 9500 and FLASHWAVE 4100 ES Packet Optical Networking Platforms (Packet ONPs). The award has been given mainly for the overall commitment of these products to advance the 4G Wireless Evolution (4GWE).