Forgent sues Apple

). Forgent says intellectual property business has generated approximately $90 million from licensing of the 1987 patent to about 30 different companies worldwide, but did not specify the damages against each company; the company says it has sought to reach agreements on numerous occasions with all these companies, but has been unable to come to terms with any of the defendents.

Other defendents include Adobe, Agfa, Axis, Canon, Concord Camera, Creative Labs, Dell, Eastman Kodak Company, Fuji, Fujitsu, Gateway , Hewlett-Packard, IBM, JVC, Macromedia, Matsushita, Onkyo, PalmOne, Panasonic, Ricoh, Riverdeep, Savin, Toshiba and Xerox.



Forgent says the Patent relates to digital image compression, and fields of use include any digital still image device used to compress, store, manipulate, print or transmit digital still images such as digital cameras. However, the '672 patent extends beyond digital cameras and includes many digital still image devices such as personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, printers, scanners and other devices used to compress, store, manipulate, print or transmit digital still images. Forgent says it has the exclusive right to use, license and enforce all the claims under the Patent in all fields of use involving digital still image compression.


"Forgent is committed to developing all of its assets and technologies to maximize shareholder value. We believe we will prevail in this litigation as the '672 Patent is valid, enforceable and infringed," said Richard Snyder, chairman and CEO of Forgent. "It's unfortunate that despite the many opportunities these companies have had to license the patent, they have all declined to participate, leaving us no alternative but to litigate.

by MacNN Staff