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Nokia fights to void Qualcomm patents
Associated Press
Published March 20, 2007
HELSINKI, Finland - Nokia Corp. said Monday it filed complaints in Germany and the Netherlands to invalidate key patents held by wireless rival Qualcomm Inc. In the latest legal salvo between the two companies, Nokia claims Qualcomm patents expired on products sold in the European Union that are based on Texas Instruments Inc. chip sets. If it prevails, the world's largest handset maker said Qualcomm would be unable to enforce patents in Europe on Nokia phones that use TI chips. Nokia, based in Espoo, Finland, filed the complaints in the Regional Court of Mannheim, Germany, and in the Hague District Court, the Netherlands. Qualcomm, which sells chips for mobile phones and licenses its technology to Nokia and others, declined comment. TI, which signed its licensing agreement with Qualcomm in 2000, did not participate in the latest complaints, said spokeswoman Gail Chandler. She declined to comment further. Nokia's complaints come three weeks before a broad cross-licensing agreement with San Diego-based Qualcomm expires. Nokia has balked at paying the licensing fees that Qualcomm demands after their current pact expires April 9. In October 2005, Nokia and five other companies complained to the European Union about San Diego-based Qualcomm's business practices. The commission is considering the request.
[Last modified March 19, 2007, 23:32:18]
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