In a massive lawsuit, major computer peripheral manufacturers such as Apple, Microsoft, LG and 20 other companies have been sued by a Texas based peripheral company, Tsera LLC, for patent infringement stating that, Tsera has the sole rights over the ‘Touch-Pad’. The lawsuit has been filed in the US District Court, Eastern Texas Division.

In its complaint, Tsera has stated that, it has the sole rights and ownership of the Touch-pad device, the patent for which was issued in the year 2003. after being applied for in the year 1999. According to the patent acquired by Tsera,

“Methods and apparatus for controlling a portable electronic device using a touchpad.”

Tsera has taken into account the touch pad patent infringement on part of Apple Inc that has the touch pad technology in its iPod classic and nano, LG’s Chocolate VX8500 and Microsoft’s Zune. Tsera has also filed sued other companies such as TrekStore and Jensen for using the patented technology in their respective commercial devices.

Inspite of the fact that over 20 companies have been named in this lawsuit, Tsera has specifically targeted Apple Inc, as according to Tsera, Apple had been fully aware of the existence of the pattern and yet chose to violate the protocols. In its complaint, Tsera stated,

“Apple has been and continues to be willful, wanton, and deliberate, and carried out with full knowledge and awareness of the Plaintiff’s patent rights and without license from Plaintiff.”

Via The Register / Tsera