Google has found itself the subject of another mobile patent lawsuit, this time accused of infringing on a navigation system technology that it has included in its Chrome mobile browser by EMG Technology, a company that counts Apple as one of its targets in recent years.
EMG Technology notes in a press release that it filed a lawsuit in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleging that the search giant infringes on U.S. Patent 7,441,196 C1 (‘196).
The patent covers the “displaying mobile webpages on smart phones and tablets using EMG’s patented simplified navigation system, which permits users to navigate a touch screen with unique inputs and to manipulate the screen for zooming and scrolling.”
Elliot A. Gottfurcht, who is EMG’s Managing Member and “lead inventor its patent portfolio,” says that Android devices manufactured by Motorola, Samsung and other companies utilise the Chrome mobile browser, which in turn uses the company’s “patented simplified navigation system.”
Therefore, EMG seeks damages and a preliminary and permanent injunction against Google from distributing its Chrome Mobile Browser in the Unites States, which is likely to extend to both its Android and iOS apps.
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In 2008, EMG sued Apple, accusing the company of infringing on the same patent with it Safari iPhone browser, targeting the iPad in 2010.
The ‘196 patent protects how mobile URLs are formatted to provide “optimum viewing and navigation with single touches on a small screen.” Basically, when you enter a full URL and it redirects to a mobile website, EMG has patented the process where desktop content is formatted efficiently to fit on a smartphone or tablet device.
EMG says that it has licensed its patent portfolio to 40 Fortune 200 companies that use its technology to format content on mobile devices.
[Image Credit: F Delventhal]
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