Judgement Favours RIM over Motorola

Added on : 09 February 2010
Filed under : Patents, Designs & Copyright

In an update to an earlier news story, a London judge has ruled that Research in Motion (RIM), the makers of the popular Blackberry range of mobile phones, did not violate a Motorola patent. Motorola had filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) in January, alleging that RIM was using its patented technology for the Blackberry email gateway, and a similar suit in the UK.

Whilst the ruling in London invalidates the Motorola patent in the UK, it does not have any legal effect on the ITC complaint or on legal action Motorola is taking in Texas, where more than just a single patent is involved. RIM was using Motorola technology under licence until 2007 and although the companies have been unable to negotiate a new deal, RIM has continued to employ the technology. Justice Richard Arnold said in his ruling that even if the original Motorola patent had been valid, RIM would not have infringed the patent.

RIM will be satisfied that it has won the legal argument in the UK, but has a long way to go to be equally victorious in the USA.

Sources: businesweek.com, phonereport.info