Company behind Priceline sues Internet heavies

Walker Digital, a research and development laboratory for technology patents, filed 15 lawsuits on Tuesday against more than 100 companies including Apple, Microsoft, eBay, Amazon and Google for unauthorized use of its intellectual property rights.

Walker Digital, a Stamford, Connecticut-based company that includes Priceline.com founder Jay S. Walker as its chairman, filed the lawsuits in a Delaware court alleging that some of the biggest names in technology are using inventions created and owned by Walker Digital.

"We are disappointed that after reaching out to so many companies in an effort to secure reasonable licenses, we were consistently told that without litigation our requests would not be taken seriously," Walker Digital Chief Executive Jon Ellenthal said in a statement.

Founded in 1994, Walker Digital says its inventions, including Priceline.com, are covered by more than 400 issued and pending US and foreign patents that generate direct licensing revenue of more than USD 200 million.