Graphics software company Micrografx sued Google, its subsidiary Motorola Mobility, and Samsung Electronics for infringing three graphic patents by running Google Maps and Chrome Browser on their Android devices.
Micrografx filed two lawsuits at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, on Monday alleging that Samsung, Google and Motorola infringe on the same three patents, court documents show.
The suits target mobile phones, tablets, and notebooks that include applications such as Google Maps and Chrome Browser, which provide interactive vector graphics over a network, according to the complaints. By doing this the companies infringe two of the patents, which are related to vector graphics, according to Micrografx.
The devices named in the Samsung suit include the Galaxy SIII, S4, Note II, Tab 2, Tab 3 and other devices.
Google and Motorola allegedly infringe with the Google Nexus 4, 7 and 10; the Droid Razr M, HD and Maxx HD, and the Chromebook Pixel, among other devices.
The third patent relates to a method and system for producing graphical images that can be added to computer programs. The companies infringe on that patent with mobile phones and tablets that include applications such as Google Maps that access an external shape stored outside the application and delegate the production of a graphical image of the external shape, Micrografx said in the complaints.
Micrografx asked for a jury trial in both cases and demanded to be awarded all damages adequate to compensate for the infringements. Damages awarded should be no less than a reasonable royalty, it said.
Google declined to comment on the cases, while Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Micrografx was acquired in 2001 by Corel, known for its image editing software CorelDraw and for another product it acquired, WordPerfect. Micrografx made software including Micrografx Designer and Windows Draw.
Loek is Amsterdam Correspondent and covers online privacy, intellectual property, open-source and online payment issues for the IDG News Service. Follow him on Twitter at @loekessers or email tips and comments to loek_essers@idg.com
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