Nokia alleges Qualcomm has infringed on six of its patents relating to its BREW, or binary runtime environment for wireless, wireless-data and MediaFlo mobile-TV technologies. Nokia contends its patents enable the download of applications with BREW and ensure the broadcast quality of service within MediaFlo.
This is another example where Qualcomm has effectively copied Nokia’s innovations, said Nokia CTO Tero Ojanpera.
The pair have a history of legal disputes. During the past two years, Qualcomm has filed no fewer than 11 patent suits against Nokia but is yet to win a case. Qualcomm has claimed that Nokia allegedly infringes on its 3G wireless technology. Nokia countersued for the first time last month, for alleged infringement related to its wireless chipset technologies.
Yesterday’s suit are part of Nokia’s response to Qualcomm suit filed on in early April, in which Qualcomm claims infringement of three patents that involve certain types of mobile software download and execution environments. Nokia said these were invalid and that they were based on the alleged inventions having been patented or published by other companies, including Nokia, before Qualcomm. Nokia also said it does not believe its products infringe any of the patents.
Separately, Qualcomm last week was banned from importing any of its 3G chipsets into the US in any new model phones, in a ruling by a federal trade agency that Qualcomm is seeking to overturn. Yesterday it said it had filed for an emergency stay of the ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission. It also plans to ask President Bush to veto the decision.
If upheld, the ban would affect as much as 4.4% of the North American mobile-phone shipments in the second half of the year, according to researcher iSuppli.
