Adobe Systems Inc. opened its courtroom arguments against Web design rival Macromedia Inc. on Monday in a federal court. The two companies accuse each other of patent infringement for Web design software tools.
Adobe claims that the San Francisco software company violates two of its patents on tabbed palettes, which provide a user interface for displaying several sets of information in the same space. Adobe’s tabbed palettes permit users to drag data or editing effects from within a palette window into another screen. Adobe filed its case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware in 2000.
Macromedia countered with a claim that the San Jose, California, publishing software company infringes on Macromedia’s patents for a draw-based editor for Web pages and a hierarchical structure editor for Web sites. Macromedia rejects Adobe’s patent-infringement claims, insisting that Adobe’s patents are unenforceable.
The two sides faced off in court as Macromedia announced a broad set of upgrades to Web design and development tools.
Representatives from the two companies were not immediately available for comment on the lawsuit Monday.
Applications made by several other software companies currently use tabbed palettes or similar constructions, leaving open the possibility of further lawsuits if Adobe prevails in court.