VirnetX Holding Corporation (NYSE Amex: VHC), an Internet security software and technology company, is expanding the scope of its lawsuit against Cisco, NEC and Aastra now that it has been awarded a new patent related to secure data communication. The company is now targeting Apple and the recently released iPad 2 in its new filing.
VirnetX filed its patent original infringement suit in August, 2010, in the Tyler Division of U.S. District Court in Eastern Texas — a court that has a reputation for favoring plaintiffs in patent infringement suits. At the time, VirnetX described itself as an “Internet security software and technology company… engaged in commercializing its patent portfolio by developing a licensing program as well as developing software products designed to create a secure environment for real-time communication applications such as instant messaging, VoIP, smart phones, eReaders and video conferencing.”
The August 11, 2010 complaint included allegations of patent infringement regarding five patents owned by VirnetX, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,502,135, 6,839,759, 7,188,180, 7,418,504, 7,490,151. In its complaint, VirnetX sought both damages and injunctive relief.
On April 5, 2011 announced that it has been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,921,211, Agile Network Protocol for Secure Communications Using Secure Domain Names, by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and has filed papers with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas seeking to add allegations that all of the defendants in its two currently-pending patent infringement lawsuits, VirnetX Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., Apple Inc., Aastra USA, Inc., Aastra Technologies Ltd., NEC Corporation, and NEC Corporation of America and VirnetX Inc. v. Mitel Networks Corporation, Mitel Networks, Inc., Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH & Co. KG, and Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. infringe this new patent.
The company’s newest patent is titled “Agile Network Protocol for Secure Communications Using Secure Domain Names.”
VirnetX's allegations are that Apple’s iPad 2 infringes its patents. In fact, VirnetX now accuses the following Apple products of patent infringement: iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch, iPad, and iPad 2.
Company CEO and president, Kendall Larson said that its new patent “bolsters our patent portfolio and strengthens our current legal activities and licensing efforts.”
Apple has not commented on VirnetX’s lawsuit.
By Carl W. Brooks
Editor, iamthereforeipad.com
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Do you know if anyone has looked into how the patent is actually infringed on by the ipad products? Does apple products use secure domain name technology in applications such as Face Time?
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