Apple, Samsung & Sony sued over graphics processing patent

A patent holder has taken aim at Apple — along with Samsung, Sony and others — for allegedly infringing upon inventions related to graphics processing.

Graphics Property Holdings Inc., formerly known as Silicon Graphics Inc., has sued a total of six companies in U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Del., according to Reuters. Other companies targeted in the suit were Research in Motion, LG and HTC.

Specifically accused of infringement in the complaints are Apple's iPhone Samsung's Galaxy S and Galaxy S II smartphones, RIM's BlackBerry Torch and more. As is the norm for such complaints, Graphics Properties seeks to halt the sales of devices, including the iPhone, with a court injunction.

The six companies were each targeted with six individual lawsuits against each smartphone maker. All six complaints were filed in the District of Delaware.

Other devices targeted in the complaints are the HTC EVO 4G, the LG Thrill, and Sony's Xperia Play line of smartphones. The devices have been targeted over a patent related to turning text and images into pixels on a mobile display.

Graphics Properties Holdings has an established history of pursuing Apple and others with patent infringement suits. The two companies traded filings last November, which each accusing the other of patent infringement.

Apple was first sued by Silicon Graphics in November of 2010. The original company filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and sold much of its operations to Rackable Systems Inc., while its remaining business is run by investors out of New Rochelle, New York.