Honeywell on Wednesday announced that it has filed suit in federal homage against Apple Computer Inc. and more than thirty other company , alleging violation over a 1994 patent of invention that trace technology used to improve the caliber of images shown on a Liquid Crystal Display ( LCD ) panel . MacCentral has hold a transcript of the documents Honeywell filed on October 6 , 2004 in U.S. District Court for the territory of Delaware .

Honeywell alleges that Apple and the other defendants are violating U.S. Patent 5,280,371 . Filed in July of 1992 and award in January , 1994 , the patent describes a “ guiding diffusor for a liquid lechatelierite presentation . ”

Many of the companies describe in the wooing are various line units of the same major corporation . Other defendants named include Argus a.k.a . Hartford Computer Group Inc. , Audiovox Corp. , Casio Computer Co. Ltd. , Casio Inc. , Concord Cameras , Dell Inc. , Eastman Kodak Co. , Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. , Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc. , Fujitsu Ltd. , Fujitsu America Inc. , Fujitsu Computer Products of America Inc. , Kyocera Wireless Corp. , Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co. , Matsushita Electrical Corp. of America , Navman NZ Ltd. , Navman U.S.A. Inc. , Nikon Corp. , Nikon Inc. , Nokia Corp. , Nokia Americas , Olympus Corp. , Olympus America Inc. , Pentax Corp. , Pentax U.S.A. Inc. , Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. , Sanyo North America , Sony Corp. , Sony Corp. of America , Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB , Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications ( USA ) Inc. , Toshiba Corp. and Toshiba America Inc.

In its 28 page complaint , Honeywell name its technology as enabling “ a exhibit to acquire a shiny image ( making the filmdom easier to see ) without demand additional power while avail to reduce the appearance of an undesirable interference rule cry the ‘ Moire effect ’ on the screen . ” Honeywell originally uprise the technology for the aerospace industriousness , for use with LCD - free-base displays in airplane cockpit .

“ Apple has been and is engage in the manufacture , importation , volunteer for sale , and/or sale of products that let in a smooth crystal exhibit ( LCD ) in the United States with the cognition and aim that such LCD screen - contain products would be sell throughout the United States , include this judicial district , ” say Honeywell ’s complain . “ Such products admit at least one of the following : laptop computer computers , cellular headphone , PDAs , digital still cameras , picture cameras , portable videodisc player and portable televisions , and/or portable plot systems . ” Honeywell ’s complaint against Apple is phrase identically to the charge listed for every other caller bring up in the suit .

The ill indicates that “ at least some of the LCD CRT screen - containing products manufactured , imported , offered for cut-rate sale , and/or sold by Apple ” and the other defendant diagnose in the lawsuit impinge its patent . The party is asking the motor lodge for an enjoinment to preclude the suspect from go forward to infringe its patent , and for “ terms adequate to redress them for Defendants ’ infringement , in an amount to be proven at trial , together with interest and costs as fixed by the Court . ”

A Honeywell spokesman was unable to offer MacCentral with a list of the specific Apple products the ship’s company believes infringe upon its patent .

Apple had not responded to a request for comment as MacCentral posted this article , but Apple routinely refuses to comment on pending litigation .