Apple, Microsoft, Google sued over preview icons
Published: 29 Dec 2008 08:15 GMT
A Michigan-based networking company on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Google, Microsoft and Apple, alleging that all three technology giants violated a patent it owns on the use of document-preview icons — or thumbnails — in operating systems.
In the suit, Cygnus Systems targets Google's Chrome; Microsoft's Vista and Internet Explorer 8; and Apple's iPhone, Safari and Mac OS X as patent infringers. Apple uses the patent-protected technology in its Finder and Cover Flow Mac OS X features, the lawsuit claims.
Cygnus describes the technology covered by the patent as "methods and systems for accessing one or more computer files via a graphical icon, wherein the graphical icon includes an image of a selected portion or portions of one or more computer files".
Emails seeking comment from Google, Microsoft, Apple and Cygnus's attorney were not immediately returned.
The case was filed in the US District Court of Arizona, where company owner Gregory Swartz lives, according to PC World.
Cygnus was granted the patent in March 2008, according to the lawsuit, although the company first applied for it in 2001 as a continuation to a 1998 application, according to Ars Technica.
Cygnus is seeking damages and a permanent injunction to prevent further alleged infringement. Cygnus has also indicated that it may pursue other companies as defendants.
Credit: Google, Microsoft, Apple sued over preview icons from CNET News
Did you find this article useful?
12 out of 12 people found this useful
Digg
Slashdot
Del.ici.ous
Stumble
Reddit
Full Talkback thread
3 comments
