• PC World
• »Tech Industry

A company that creates touch-screen technology has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against PC maker Dell Inc. and Motion Computing, Inc., a developer of tablet computers.

The complaint, filed by Typhoon Touch Technologies, Inc., seeks an unspecified amount of damages and a permanent injunction enjoining Dell and Motion Computing from continued alleged infringement. The suit was filed Wednesday, Dec. 5, in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas.

Typhoon filed the suit as co-plaintiff with its licensee, Nova Mobility Systems, Inc., a maker of tablet personal computers and handheld systems.

"As alleged in our complaint, we believe that both Dell and Motion Computing are using and profiting from our patented technologies," said James Shepard, CEO and president of Typhoon Touch Technologies, in a statement. "It is our responsibility to ask the court to enjoin Dell and Motion Computing from the continued violation of our patents and seek recovery of lost profits."

Michael Stinson, a vice president at Austin, Texas-based Motion Computing, told Computerworld that their legal team is still going through the complaint.

"We had no idea it was coming. As far as I know, we haven't had any contact with them," said Stinson. "We're taking it very seriously but we haven't had a chance to evaluate it... We don't believe our products infringe on any valid claims in the alleged patents."

Dell did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Typhoon's complaint alleges that Motion Computing and Dell are infringing on two of its patents - both are called "Portable Computer with Touch Screen and Computer System Employing Same." One was filed in 1995 and the other was filed in 1997.