The patent wars continue, and this time it's another round for HTC and Apple.
HTC sued Apple again this week in a Delaware district court for infringing on several patents that cover Apple's entire product line. In its filing, HTC mentions everything from Apple's Mac computers, iPhones and iPads to Apple TV, AirPort and Time Capsule, and the iPod.
HTC wants damages as well as attorney fees and costs, and has asked the court to ban Apple from making, selling, or importing any infringing devices in the United States.
The complaint covers three patents, two of which were granted last year and one that was granted in 2008. Specifically, they cover: circuit and operating method for integrated interface of PDA and wireless communicating system; multipoint-to-point communication using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing; and method for orderwire modulation.
The patent war between Apple and HTC started in March 2010. At the time, Apple sued HTC for 20 instances of patent infringement, all dealing with various elements of the iPhone. "We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it," Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, said at the time. "We've decided to do something about it. We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours."
In July, the International Trade Commission said HTC may have infringed on two Apple patents. HTC later took its complaint to the U.K.'s High Court of Justice in London. That came after HTC's chief financial officer said the company was "open to having discussions" with Apple to settle their differences. Judging by this week's lawsuit, it appears those discussions are on hold.
Patent battles, meanwhile, are now almost a daily thing at this point, as are patent acquisitions. In July, HTC acquired S3 Graphics for $300 million in order to add it to its patent portfolio. And just yesterday, Google bought Motorola Mobility in part to bulk up its lackluster patent portfolio.