The company, well known for launching patent lawsuits, has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against Samsung, Nokia, ZTE and Huawei, alleging violation of seven of its patents. The complaint asks the ITC to ban the U.S. import of products made by the four companies.
The wireless technology developer says by selling 3G and 4G wireless devices that breach the seven patents in question, the companies are engaging in unfair trade practices. The complaint labels mobile phones, USB sticks, mobile hotspots, laptops, and tablets as the offenders.
“Wireless technology continues to advance at tremendous speed based on the contributions that InterDigital and others have made to core connectivity technology,” said president of InterDigital’s patent holding subsidiaries Lawrence Shay, in a press release.
“For InterDigital, that effort represents roughly one billion dollars of research and development involving hundreds of wireless engineers over decades. While the vast majority of our dozens of licensees recognize our contributions and choose to license our portfolio based on discussions alone, in some cases we’re forced to resort to legal action.”
InterDigital is asking the ITC not only to ban the products in question from entry into the U.S., but is also seeking an injunction against the sale of any of the devices already in the country. The ITC has 30 days to decide if the complaint merits investigation.
InterDigital also filed a parallel complaint with the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, seeking “a permanent injunction and compensatory damages in an amount to be determined, as well as enhanced damages based on willful infringement, and recovery of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.”
InterDigital also filed an ITC complaint against Nokia, Huawei and ZTE in 2011 claiming violation of its 3G patents. The company has reached patent agreements with Samsung in the past.
The following are the seven patents listed in the new complaint:
- U.S. Patent No. 7,190,966 on a “method and apparatus for performing an access procedure” (not asserted against Nokia in this complaint because it has been asserted in previous litigation).
- U.S. Patent No. 7,286,847 a “method and apparatus for performing an access procedure” (not asserted against Nokia in this complaint because it has been asserted in previous litigation).
- U.S. Patent No. 8,009,636 on a “method and apparatus for performing an access procedure” (not asserted against Nokia, Huawei and ZTE in this complaint because it has been asserted in previous litigation).
- U.S. Patent No. 7,706,830 on a “method and subscriber unit for performing an access procedure” (not asserted against Nokia, Huawei and ZTE in this complaint because it has been asserted in previous litigation).
- U.S. Patent No, 7,941,151 on a “method and system for providing channel assignment information used to support uplink and downlink channels.”
- U.S. Patent No, 7,616,970 on a “dual mode unit for short range, high rate and long range, lower rate data communications” (not asserted against Nokia, Huawei and ZTE in this complaint because it has been asserted in previous litigation).
- U.S. Patent No. 7,502,406 on an “automatic power control system for a code division multiple access (CDMA) communications system” (not asserted against Nokia, Huawei and ZTE in this complaint because it has been asserted in previous litigation).
Post from: SiteProNews
InterDigital Files Patent Complaint Against Samsung, Nokia, ZTE, Huawei
