• by Steve Smith  @popeyesm, March 13, 2012

Two of the larger mobile marketing solutions providers are going to court for the usual thing -- patents. Augme filed suit late last week against Velti claiming infringement of three patents related to targeting content to a Web browser. The suits asks Velti to cease employing the functionality and for unspecified monetary damages.

Augme spokespeople stated to MMD that they would have no comment further than the statement issued announcing the suit. In the release, Augme CEO  Paul Arena cited the company’s growing portfolio of patents and stated: “We are taking this action on behalf of our shareholders to protect Augme's market-leading mobile marketing business from unfair practices by a direct competitor, and we expect to win damages, to be granted an injunction, and to be awarded legal fees.”

Velti issued a statement of its own, saying only: “The complaint was just filed on Thursday and we are in the initial stages of analyzing the allegations. We understand that Augme has filed similar complaints against a number of other companies, including Yahoo, AOL and others.”

Indeed, Augme did also file suit against Yahoo in 2009, citing the same patents. And earlier this year, the company also furthered a case it had filed against Tacoda in 2008, acquired by AOL.