Mega patent claim targets media firms

Premier International Associates (PIA) is suing a large number of technology companies over patents which it claims to own for music list management.

Microsoft, Real, Napster, Verizon, AT&T, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, Viacom, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Nokia and Sandisk are all named in the legal challenge.

PIA filed the original patent (number 6,243,725) for its music list building system in 1997.

The company is seeking damages for the patent breaches, and has already sued Apple in a case filed on 3 November 2005.

Apple responded to the claim in January 2006 denying all material allegations and launching counterclaims. The case will come to court on 3 December 2007.