Apple seems to be once again the focus of attention. After its famous switch to Intel, now the company seems to have problems of a quite different nature.

AppleInsider reports that on Tuesday, the company from Cupertino has been sued once again, this time by Contois Music and Technology, a company that claims it had developed a "computer control system and user interface for media playing devices" back in 1995 and 1996, at which time some people from Apple caught a glimpse of the
system and used it to "inspire" for iTunes.

Contois is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction enjoining Apple from further distributing its iTunes software in its current form. The company also has some monetary claims, asking the Court for a certain sum, yet to be specified, resulting from Apple's "copying and willful infringement" of its patented design as well as reimbursement of legal fees associated with the lawsuit.

Apple Insider continues by saying that Contois documented 19 interface aspects of the iTunes software that it claims are in direct violation of Contois' patent. These areas include iTunes' menu selection process, the ability of the software to transfer music tracks to a portable music player, and search capabilities such as sorting music tracks by their genre, artist and album attributes.

Contois claims he has notified Apple in writing of its patent in September 2004 but thinks that Apple had already been aware of its existence for almost 18, since January 2003.
Now it remains to be seen what Apple is going to do about this lawsuit, seeing that it is also the defendant in five other legal actions, and all related to the same subject, the iTunes.