Square Inc. is facing a patent infringement lawsuit by Anywhere Commerce Inc., a Fresno, California-based firm that claims the payments giant infringed upon its mPOS technology, according to a press release from lawyers representing Anywhere Commerce. 

Lawyers for Anywhere Commerce allege in a federal patent suit filed July 26 in California that Square knowingly infringed upon Anywhere Commerce's technology, which involved payment card reading devices tethered to a smartphone or tablet. 

"Square simply took that same technology for itself, becoming one of the largest and most famous companies in the world by falsely holding itself out as the originator of technology allowing the use of smartphones and tablets to accept credit card payments," Oliver Griffin, lead attorney for the firm of Kutak Rock, which represents Anywhere Commerce, said in the release.  

The suit asks the court to find that Square acted in a "willful, wanton and deliberate" matter and seeks treble damages. 

Square respects valid intellectual property rights of others, but will defend itself vigorously against baseless suits such as as this one," a company spokesperson told Mobile Payments Today via email. 

Griffin was not immediately available for comment. 

Cover image courtesy of Square.