A little-known Texas firm, Texas MP3 Technologies, is suing Apple, Samsung Electronics, and Sandisk for patent-infringement, based on their use of MP3 technology. Texas MP3 Technologies alleges infringement on U.S. patent 7,065,417, which was awarded in June 2006 to multimedia chip-maker SigmaTel and covers “an MPEG portable sound reproducing system and a method for reproducing sound data compressed using the MPEG method.”

“Because these are such basic patents to digital music, we believe it will be difficult to design around these patents and have a commercially viable player,” SigmaTel said in a statement when it announced the sale of the patent. SigmaTel said it had retained international rights to the patent and has insulated its customers from any legal action associated with the patent.

via IDG News