Business | Technology

Kodak sues Samsung and LG over patents

Row over digital camera designs since 1993

  • AP
  • Published: 23:40 November 18, 2008
  • Gulf News

Rochester, New York: Eastman Kodak Co said it is suing South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co and LG Electronics Inc for infringing various digital-camera patents it obtained between 1993 and 2001.

The photography products company alleges that camera phones made by the Seoul-based electronics companies and their US subsidiaries violate patents on its inventions related to image capture, compression and data storage, and a method for previewing motion images.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in federal court in Rochester, seeks unspecified monetary damages.

Kodak also lodged a complaint with the International Trade Commission in Washington, a move designed to stop the importation of products to the country made with the disputed technology.

"We've held discussions with both companies in an attempt to resolve this issue and have not been able to reach a satisfactory agreement," said Laura Quatela, Kodak's chief intellectual property officer. "Consequently, we must take this legal action."

The dispute centres on patents issued in 1993, 1997 and 2001, Kodak spokes-man David Lanzillo said.

Responses

Samsung issued a statement yesterday saying it "forbids infringement and unauthorised use" of the intellectual property of other companies and "plans to respond actively to this litigation," according to Lee Eun-hee, a company spokeswoman.

LG, meanwhile, flatly denied Kodak's claim.

"The technology we've used in our products are totally ours and have nothing to do with Kodak," spokeswoman Judy Pae said.

"We are going to actively deal with this litigation."

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