The tit-for-tat patent legal battles that made many a tech news headline during 2011 looks set to continue in the new year as the Eastman Kodak Company announced that it has filed a counter-lawsuit against Fujifilm, alleging that the latter has infringed upon certain of its patents related to digital imaging technology.

This court action comes in the wake of Fujifilm’s patent suit against Kodak, filed during October, that dealt with patents relating to image recording and processing technology.

Kodak’s complaint was filed in the US District Court for the Western District of New York and alleges that certain Fujifilm digital cameras infringe five patented Kodak digital imaging technology, including one for an electronic camera with quick review of last captured image (US Patent No. 6 441 854) and one for a single sensor colour camera with user selectable image record size (US Patent No. 5 493 335).

This latest lawsuit follows reports that Kodak is preparing for a potential bankruptcy filing, as the company posted a series of financial losses with the decline of the traditional film business.

“Kodak has long been in discussions with Fujifilm, asking the company to do what more than 30 other companies have done already and take a license for their use of our pioneering digital imaging technology,” said Timothy M. Lynch, chief intellectual property officer, Eastman Kodak Company. “Kodak has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in developing this technology.”

“Not only have we failed to reach an agreement, but Fuji resorted to filing suit against us in October in what was a thinly veiled attempt to redirect attention from their continued use of Kodak patented technology.There’s a basic issue of fairness that needs to be addressed. The failure to appropriately compensate Kodak for the unauthorized use of our patented technology impedes our ability to continue to innovate and introduce new products.”

 

Kodak has licensed its digital imaging patents to over 30 leading technology companies the likes of LG, Motorola, Samsung as well as Nokia.