Discovery Communications says Amazon’s Kindle violates patent

Discovery Communications Inc. says the Kindle electronic book reader from Amazon.com Inc. violates a patent that Discovery registered in 2007. Discovery sued Amazon in Delaware on Tuesday.

Discovery spokeswoman Michelle Russo said the company was seeking “fair compensation” through damages, future royalty payments and legal fees but would not seek an injunction stopping sales of the Kindle.

An Amazon.com spokeswoman declined to comment.

Discovery, which runs the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet cable TV networks, said Amazon.com was “willful” in infringing the patent. Discovery says the patent covers the security of electronic book files.

Shares of Seattle-based Amazon.com rose $4.37, or 6.5%, to $71.35. Shares of Silver Spring, Md.-based Discovery gained 11 cents to $16.77.