GraphOn Files Countersuit Against Juniper for Patent Infringement

SANTA CRUZ, CA - GraphOn Corporation, a leading worldwide developer of server-based application publishing and Web-enabling software solutions, announced in a press release that it has filed a countersuit against Juniper Networks Inc., on May 1, 2009, alleging infringement of four GraphOn patents.

The countersuit, filed in the United States District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges infringement of US Patent Nos. 7,249,378; 7,269,847; 7,383,573; and 7,424,737 that protect GraphOn’s fundamental network security and firewall technologies.

The countersuit alleges that certain of Juniper’s firewall and router products infringe the GraphOn patents. The suit seeks preliminary and permanent injunctive relief along with unspecified damages and fees.

The countersuit was filed in response to a proceeding initiated by Juniper on March 16, 2009 alleging infringement by GraphOn and one of GraphOn’s resellers of US Patent No. 6,243,752 (the ‘752 Patent).

In addition to the countersuit, GraphOn asked the court to declare that the ‘752 Patent is not infringed and/or is invalid under the patent laws. No trial date has been set by the court.

In a separate lawsuit, filed August 2007 in United States District Court in the Eastern District of Texas, GraphOn is alleging infringement by certain of Juniper’s products of US Patent Nos. 5,826,014 and 6,061,798 which also protect GraphOn’s fundamental network security and firewall technologies.

The trial has been scheduled to begin July 6, 2010. GraphOn’s network security and firewall patents and patent applications are the result of more than ten years of development effort by Network Engineering Software Inc. (NES) which was acquired by GraphOn in 2005.

In addition to the subject patents and applications, GraphOn acquired other patents and patent applications.

“We continue to be very pleased with the acquisition of NES and the 23 patents GraphOn owns as a result,” GraphOn’s CEO Robert Dilworth said.

"Aggressively protecting the Intellectual Property represented by these patents is important to maximizing their value to GraphOn,” he added.