Vancouver-based company takes owner of Snapchat to U.S. court in patent battle

Investel Capital announced the U.S. legal battle Feb. 3, aday after Snap Inc. officially filed for a U.S. initial publicoffering that could raise an estimated $3 billion US or more frominvestors.

The Vancouver-based company says it owns the rights tolocation-based filters used by the Snapchat social media platform,which shares photos and videos over the Internet using smartphones.

Investel previously filed a similar claim in Canada's federalcourt system last August. The facts of the claim have not beenproved or disproved in court but the Federal Court of Canada hasruled that the claim can proceed.

A Snap Inc. spokesman said in August that the company doesn'ttypically comment on litigation.