Kodak adds Samsung to its list of those allegedly using its patents illegally

Despite its position as an iconic American corporation and obviously one of the leaders in photography, Kodak's days are quite possibly numbered. With a stock price measured in cents and a product that not too many use any more, the company is on the verge of bankruptcy. One thing that Kodak hopes will keep it alive is its patent portfolio and earlier this month, the company sued both Apple and HTC for patent infringement. The patents in question deal with digital imaging.

On Wednesday, Kodak added Samsung to the list, claiming that the Korean based manufacturer had violated five of Kodak's patents. These patents deal with the capturing of digital images which are then sent out through a cellular or Wi-Fi network. The patents involved are US Patent No. 6,292,218, US Patent No. 7,210,161, US Patent No. 7,742,084, US Patent No. 7453,605, and US Patent No. 7,936,391 which are the same exact patents that Kodak is claiming were used illegally by Apple and HTC.

It is hard to imagine a once proud company like Kodak, which used to produce commercials that made you cry, turning into a company consisting only of intellectual property. But if the Rochester, NY corporation goes through Chapter 11, that might be the way Kodak looks after restructuring. The company notes that it has licensed these digital imaging patents to more than 30 companies including LG, Motorola and Nokia with all of the patents producing royalty payments to Kodak.

It will be interesting to see if Samsung and Apple work together to defend themselves considering that in the courtroom, both companies are usually on either side of the aisle. The suit against Samsung was filed  in the US District Court for the Western District of New York.

source: Forbes