Research In Motion Settles Patent Dispute With Nokia

By: Kevin Green  |   December 22nd, 2012   |   Business, News, O Canada

Canadian Technology giant, Research In Motion (RIM), announced on Friday, December 21 that it had wrapped up its dispute with Nokia over patents owned by the Finnish firm. The deal calls for a lump sum payment by the struggling BlackBerry smartphone maker along with “ongoing payments” so that it can continue using Nokia’s intellectual property.

 

Nokia also made an announcement on the same day that RIM had agreed to a deal that would end their long standing patent dispute. The issue started in 2003 when the two firms signed an agreement allowing them to use each other’s standard-essential patents. RIM eventually asked for arbitration in Sweden so that it could include Nokia’s WLAN patents as part of their original deal. This request was made in 2011 and RIM argued that any standard-essential patents agreement would include the WLAN ones because of the nature of said patents.

 

Nokia disagreed and stated the RIM was using wireless networking technology that infringed on its patents. They asked that the Canadian firm pay royalties for the use of the technology in their products. RIM did not deny the use of the WLAN technology but stated that it was covered in the original agreement signed in 2003.

 

A month ago, the arbitrator made a decision in favor of Nokia and probably made the current agreement possible. Nokia and RIM were tight lipped about what amount of cash that would be exchanging hands but were sure to state that all issues and proceedings in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have stopped.

 

Paul Melin, chief intellectual property officer at Nokia, stated that, “We are very pleased to have resolved our patent licensing issues with RIM and reached this new agreement, while maintaining Nokia’s ability to protect our unique product differentiation.”

 

Source: CNET