Apple’s FaceTime At Center Of Second VirnetX Patent Infringment Case

By: Talha Bhatti  |   November 12th, 2012   |   Apple, Business, Mobile Apps, News, O Canada

VirnetX, a security software company that boasts an impressive patent portfolio, is suing California based technology giant Apple for patent infringement. This is not the first time the two companies have met in court with  VirnetX having just won a first lawsuit against Apple in a Texas court. The court passed a $368 million judgment in favour of the security software company and it is now going after new products released by Apple including iPhone 5 and iPad Mini. The patents that are in dispute all have to do with networking and their use in Apple’s FaceTime application.

 

VirnetX has patents that deal with safeguarding communications when done over the internet. This “includes technology for creating a virtual private network between two computers, a protocol for secure communications using secure domain names, and a method to establish a secure communications link based on a domain name service request.” These are some tasks that the company believes Apple is doing with FaceTime while using VirnetX patents. Since the previous lawsuit covered older products, the newer case is meant for the iPhone 5, iPad Mini, fourth-generation iPad, fifth-generation iPod Touch, new Mac’s.

 

VirnetX is not new to fighting patent infringement against large technology companies. The company got started by claiming patents for technology that made virtual private networks over the Internet. Eventually a lot of major companies started making VPNs online by using VirnetX technology. The company ended up suing Microsoft and winning a $200 million settlement and is now pursuing lawsuits against Cisco, Avaya, and several other major players.

 

VirnetX’s aims to claim compensation from Apple for its newer products got a boost when the U.S. International Trade Commission states that it would investigate Apple on its behalf. VirnetX has asked the courts to stop the importation of Apple products that violate its patents but it expected that the two firms will end up coming to an agreement for licensing or a pay out.

 

Source: iPhone in Canada