Creo is the latest to be sued for using JPEG compression
The contentious case is being vigorously defended by Creo, which does not believe it infringes the patent in question, and moreover believes that the patent is invalid and unenforceable. JPEG is widely used in the graphic arts industry especially in electronic file transfers, delivering substantial file compression.
Since the Forgent claim first surfaced three years ago the company claims it has received more than $100 million from licensing the patent to over 35 different companies in Asia, Europe and the United States. Many of the largest graphic arts manufacturers, as well as some standards organizations, refute the company’s ownership of the technology.
The case revolves around United States Patent No. 4,698,672 (the ‘672 Patent), which the company claims has both a solid technical pedigree in that it was created by research scientists well known in the image compression community, and applies to the JPEG technology.
According to a press release from Forgent the ‘672 Patent relates to digital image compression, and fields of use include digital still image device used to compress, store, manipulate, print or transmit digital still images such as digital cameras, personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, printers, scanners, and certain software applications.
The JPEG Committee, which looks after the international standards, has the following statement on its website on reference to the Forgent action www.jpeg.org
In 2002, it became widely publicised that one or more companies were making claims in some countries that they had patents which they believed read on the original JPEG standard IS10918-1. The JPEG Committee produces standards, which have a global basis, and are unable to comment on the validity of such claims, or potential infringement by particular implementations within specific jurisdictions. No such claims have (at January 2004) been registered formally through the appropriate channels at ISO and ITU-T, so far as the Webmaster is aware.
In 2002, it became widely publicised that one or more companies were making claims in some countries that they had patents which they believed read on the original JPEG standard IS10918-1. The JPEG Committee produces standards, which have a global basis, and are unable to comment on the validity of such claims, or potential infringement by particular implementations within specific jurisdictions. No such claims have (at January 2004) been registered formally through the appropriate channels at ISO and ITU-T, so far as the Webmaster is aware.