14 DAY TRIAL // Following many other companies that are doing the same, Samsung is now also being sued, by InterDigital Communications Coorporation, a company that designs, develops and provides advanced wireless technologies and products for voice and data communications.
The reason to the lawsuit is somewhat predictable. The complaint InterDigital has filed alleges that the Korean phone manufacturer has imported and sold certain 3G handsets and components in the US that infringe three of its patents. Lawsuits over patents are starting to be a clich?, and companies such as Nokia and Qualcomm end up stuck in lawsuites that last for whole years before reaching any sort of agreement.
Thus, InterDigital has filed the complaint in the US District Court for the District of Delaware seeking an exclusion order which operates to bar from entry into the US the 3G WCDMA handsets and components that are infringing upon its patents. The list of infringing handsets includes Samsung's messaging smartphone, the Blackjack. Samsung is now required to stop importing infringing handsets, as well as agree to a royalty arrangement.
"The vast majority of our patent license agreements have been reached without the need for litigation," said William J. Merritt, President and Chief Executive Officer of InterDigital. "While we have had extensive discussions with Samsung on patent licensing matters, we have been unable to come to an agreement. We are committed to resolve our patent licensing discussions in a timely manner and remain open to a business resolution. However, if we cannot negotiate an agreement, we will aggressively defend our intellectual property rights and enforce legally binding judgments."
The ITC has 30 days from the filing of the complaint to decide whether to formally institute an investigation. If the ITC chooses to investigate, one should expect a trial by January next year.