Kudelski-owned middleware providers OpenTV and Nagra France have sued Verizon and its AOL unit, accusing the telco of infringing on their patents.
A total of seven patents are listed in the lawsuit filed last week with the U.S. District Court for East Texas. They cover a raft of technologies spanning multiscreen and catch-up TV, and interactive video content, among others.
"The Kudelski Group and its subsidiaries, OpenTV and Nagra France, have a long and distinguished history of innovation," the companies said, in the lawsuit.
"These companies design and manufacture widely-used, critically-acclaimed, and award-winning digital media technologies, employ hundreds of employees in the United States and thousands worldwide, and protect their research and development investment with a robust patent portfolio comprising thousands of patents that represent the results of years of innovation, investment and effort," the suit added.
According to the companies, Verizon’s various FiOS TV services, its go90 mobile video service, its defunct Redbox Instant streaming service, as well as the video delivery and advertising services available with the AOL On player, all infringe upon OpenTV and Nagra France’s patents.
OpenTV and Nagra said they first brought the alleged infringement to Verizon’s attention in May 2013, and to AOL’s in February 2014, more than a year before it was acquired by Verizon.
The companies have been holding on-and-off licensing negotiations ever since.
OpenTV and Nagra France seek "damages adequate to compensate for Verizon’s past and present infringement," the companies said, in the lawsuit.
They also seek a permanent injunction barring Veriz on from continuing to infringe upon their patents, as well as damages to cover their attorneys’ fees and costs associated with the lawsuit.
