Kodak appears to be ratcheting up its patent fight with Apple and HTC by filing a infringement suit in U.S. Courts and with the International Trade Commission (ITC). But, as the Wall Street Journal points out:
The latest lawsuits aren't likely to help ease the immediate financial pressure on Kodak. Patent disputes in the district courts can take years to resolve. The ITC can move faster, but a complaint Kodak filed two years ago against Apple and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. is still pending, and a ruling has been pushed back until September.Given that, I wonder if these lawsuits are an attempt to increase interest in its patent portfolio? If Kodak can show that the patents potentially have a strong legal claim (especially against Apple), they might be able to get a higher price. Just wondering . . .
UPDATE (1/19/12): For a list of the specific patents, see Kodak's press release. Also see additional cases filed this month against Fujifilm and Samsung.
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