Kodak announced Thursday it filed lawsuits against both Apple and Research In Motion for infringement of its digital imaging technology.
In a suit filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), Kodak claimed the iPhone and camera-equipped BlackBerry models infringed a Kodak patent that covers technology related to a method of previewing images.
The company also said it filed two separate suits against Apple in the federal court for the Western District of New York that claimed infringement of patents related to digital cameras and other computer processes.
Laura Quatela, Kodak's chief intellectual property officer, said in a statement that the company held discussions with both companies for years without resolving the issues amicably.
"The company wants fair compensation for the use of our technology," she said.
"There's a basic issue of fairness that needs to be addressed. Those devices use Kodak technology, and we are merely seeking compensation for the use of our technology in their products."
Kodak noted that it licensed digital imaging technology to about 30 companies, all of which pay royalties, and said it was open to negotiating a settlement of the cases. Read more:
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