31 Companies Sued for JPEG Patent Infringement

Anyone remember the old GIF patent controversy of 1999? Well, here we go again... Forgent Networks sues 31 companies for patent infringement.

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.

The defendants in the lawsuit include pretty much every company involved in digital imaging and graphics software products--Adobe, Apple, Jasc, Canon, Dell, Macromedia, to name just a few.

More news articles on this issue:

Infoworld: Forgent sues PC makers over JPEG patent claims

The Independent JPEG Group (IJG) said in 2002 that Forgent's patent was related to a different type of compression technology than the one used by the JPEG standard.

MacCentral: Apple, 30 other companies named in JPEG lawsuit

Neither Forgent nor Compression Labs, which it acquired in the late '90s, developed the JPEG image compression format.

Newsforge: Is the GIMP safe from Forgent's IP claims?

NewsForge spoke by telephone to Forgent Networks' Director of Investor Relations, Michael Noonan, to learn more about the legal actions as well as who else might be at risk.

The Mac Observer: Apple Sued Over JPEG Patent; Damages Possibly "Millions"

The company remained quiet about its JPEG patent, allowing usage of JPEG compression unhindered, until July 2002 when it began to enforce its patent rights after signing a multi-million dollar license agreement with Sony Corp.

United States Patent 4,698,672: Coding system for reducing redundancy

I'll keep you posted as more details come out regarding the suit.

More on the JPEG Format