Case even extends to gaming companies

Olympic Developments has filed a lawsuit through the US District Court for the Central District of California, LA Division, charging several companies with violating two of its patents. The first patent, Transactional Processing System, describes a way of offering products and services through credit card transactions. The concept also involves real-time authorization. The second patent, Device for Controlling Remote Interactive Receiver, specifically describes a remote that can save financial information.

Among the defendants in the case is Apple, which uses credit cards to process iTunes transactions. Olympic also suggests that iPhones, iPods and iPads are involved, since they qualify as "remote programming system[s]" able to browse and buy products.

AppleInsider notes that other parties named in the suit include DirecTV, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble, the latter two because of their e-book sales. Gaming services are another target, namely Valve's Steam, Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace, Nintendo's Wii Shop Channel and Sony's PlayStation Store.

Apple has only just settled a similar digital music lawsuit, in which Amazon, Microsoft and Sony were fellow defendants.

by MacNN Staff