R.R. Donnelley Sues HP

Though they formed a technology alliance almost exactly a year ago to co-develop innovative commercial imaging systems, R.R. Donnelley & Sons and Hewlett-Packard are now headed for court to settle a patent dispute, according to InformationWeek.

On Tuesday R.R. Donnelley filed suit against HP, alleging that HP infringed on its patents for certain digital printing technologies. In papers filed in federal court in Illinois, InformationWeek reports, Donnelley claimed HP's alleged violations were "willful and deliberate." Donnelley is asking the court to award treble damages, as well as costs. It also wants the court to stop HP from selling products that incorporate technology allegedly covered under the patents.

According to court papers, the patents in question relate to an "Apparatus for Controlling an Electronic Press to Print Fixed and Variable Information," and a "Method of Reproducing Variable Graphics In a Variable Imaging System." Donnelley said several HP products violate the patents, including the Color Inkjet Web Press, Indigo Press, and SmartStream Designer for Adobe InDesign C3.

A spokesman for R.R. Donnelley insisted the two company's technology alliance remains in effect, despite the lawsuit.