Two companies are suing the government for $1 billion in claims of patent infringement, according to the Washington Business Journal.
The three patents at issue cover video and image surveillance, according to the plaintiffs, 3rd Eye Surveillance of Plano, Texas, and Discovery Patents of Baltimore, Maryland. Federal agencies and contractors are using the technologies that the patents cover, according to the report.
The companies filed a complaint on May 18 in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The specific allegations are that the government, both directly and through contracts, have developed systems based on the patented technologies. While none of the companies are named as defendants, 11 are listed as developers using the technologies.
“We are thrilled our system has been widely adopted and so helpful for the government, but exploiting these patents without a license cripples our ability to survive as a small business,” said Offie Wiseman, co-owner of 3rd Eye Surveillance, in a released statement.
