Creative Technology, maker of MP3 players, has indicated that it is expecting to earn royalties from rival Apple Computer.
Sim Wong Hoo, chief executive of Creative, told the BBC that he intends to "pursue aggressively" his company's U.S. patent on the navigation of music on MP3 or other audio players.
He added that Creative, which makes Zen music players, already is in talks with parties over the patent, which was awarded this August.
"Hopefully this will be friendly, but people have to respect intellectual property," Sim said.
Creative is planning to grab royalty money from all music player manufacturers that use the same navigation system that it has patented, he added.
Apple, which has dominated the market for MP3 players, was hit by a number of patent problems this year.
A Hong Kong-based company, for example, claimed in March that it owns patents to the digital rights management software used on the iPod. Pat-rights sought 12 percent of Apple's iPod revenue.
Microsoft, meanwhile, managed to foil Apple's attempts to patent elements of its user interface.
Jo Best of Silicon.com reported from London.
Darrell Pringle Dec 11, 2005, 6:30 PM PST
Binky Inglish Dec 11, 2005, 3:58 PM PST
John Huang Dec 11, 2005, 11:23 AM PST
Dan Bargen Dec 11, 2005, 1:23 AM PST
Matthew Good Dec 11, 2005, 12:19 AM PST
Frank Mcnulty Dec 10, 2005, 10:26 PM PST
Mandeep Kaur Dec 10, 2005, 4:33 PM PST
John Mills Dec 10, 2005, 1:01 PM PST
Darrius L Dec 10, 2005, 5:34 AM PST
Ric - Dec 10, 2005, 4:43 AM PST
Steve Duncan Dec 10, 2005, 1:45 AM PST
Gerardo Lorenzana Dec 9, 2005, 10:04 PM PST
Gerardo Lorenzana Dec 9, 2005, 9:56 PM PST
Gerardo Lorenzana Dec 9, 2005, 9:44 PM PST
Gerardo Lorenzana Dec 9, 2005, 9:40 PM PST
Miket Dec 9, 2005, 6:01 PM PST
Paul Ferguson Dec 9, 2005, 4:35 PM PST
Michael Greere Dec 9, 2005, 3:51 PM PST
Joe Blow Dec 9, 2005, 3:32 PM PST
Lr D Dec 9, 2005, 2:16 PM PST
Phil Segretto Dec 9, 2005, 2:15 PM PST
Joe Belkin Dec 9, 2005, 1:25 PM PST
Darrius L Dec 9, 2005, 1:00 PM PST
Azrielle K Dec 9, 2005, 12:50 PM PST
Azrielle K Dec 9, 2005, 12:44 PM PST