Verint sues 3 competitors to protect patents

Melville-based Verint Systems Inc. has filed a string of federal lawsuits in recent months, accusing three competitors of infringing on its software patents.

The suits accuse Seattle-based Envision Telephony Inc.; Uptivity Inc., of Columbus, Ohio; and Voice Print International Inc., of Camarillo, Calif., of violating Verint's patents for software to monitor call center operations. The Long Island company, which operates a subsidiary in Alpharetta, Ga., filed the suits in Atlanta.

Verint, founded in 1994, makes programs to help companies improve their service departments by monitoring telephone calls, Internet chats and other communications with customers. The company is among Long Island's largest and fastest-growing software makers. Its programs are used by corporations in about 150 countries, including 80 percent of Fortune 100.