HoloTouch, which helps develop touchless, intuitive holographic controls for a wide variety of industries, has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Microsoft for infringing on two of its patents to build the HoloLens. Amidst all tech brands, Microsoft is currently the leading manufacturer looking at blending virtual reality and augmented reality, using holographic technology. Also Read - Microsoft buys developers of Fallout, Wolfenstein, Doom, Elder Scrolls ahead of Xbox sales

The lawsuit by HoloTouch threatens a jury trial and triple damages for two patents from 2002 and 2004. As Neowin reports, the demand for a jury trial and triple damages comes from the fact that HoloTouch believes Microsoft willingly infringed the patents and has the evidence to prove it. Also Read - Microsoft's Your Phone App gets new features with the latest update

The patents in question are related to holographic images and interacting with them. Patent ‘238 deals with a “means by which an operator may control one or more devices without touching a solid control object or surface while still interacting with familiar controls that are visually perceived, such as a keyboard. Patent ‘245 deals with holographic human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and covers an invention that is meant to allow “the reduction of the power consumption, size and weight of conventional holographic HMIs, the report notes.

According to the report, the technology has been patented in regions other than the US, such as Japan, Australia, Canada, the UK, and with patents pending in the European Union. The lawsuit claims that HoloTouch works with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to design and build prototypes using the patents.

Interestingly, HoloTouch approached Microsoft about a partnership using the tech back in 2006. However, Microsoft apparently did not respond to the proposition. The company further claims that in 2013, Microsoft filed a patent citing HoloTouch patents as prior art. If this claim is confirmed, then it could prove willful infringement of HoloTouch’s patent. In 2015 and 2016, HoloTouch again attempted to contact regarding patent licensing, but Microsoft only reviewed the patents and there was no licensing deal.

Microsoft is to yet to publicly comment on the infringement. However, if the jury trial and triple damages request is accepted by the US court, then the company could be looking at a very expensive lawsuit, and losing the battle could shoot up the prices of the HoloLens for the consumer market.

Meanwhile, is it believed that Microsoft may be one of the first of many in the augmented reality/virtual reality space targeted by HoloTouch as the company is reportedly preparing similar lawsuits which will soon be filed against other unspecified companies.

While Microsoft is the frontrunner when it comes to mixed-reality based HoloLens, other companies including Facebook, Google, and recently Apple have also been developing technologies which blend the real with the virtual.