bim, the German Patent Office upheld IDCC patents in 1993 ... also, the Swedish Patent Office upheld IDCC patents as well ...
GERMANY UPHOLDS INTERDIGITAL PATENTS
10/29/1993
Network Week APT Data Services No. 96
Copyright 1993 APT Data Services
InterDigital Technology, the King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based company engaged in lawsuits against Ericsson and OKI America in the US for alleged Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) patent infringements (Network Week, 095) has had the validity of its basic German TDMA system patent confirmed by the German Patent Office.
After being granted on June 28, 1990, the German patent was opposed by Phillips Patentverwaltung Gmbh, Standard Elektrik Lorenz (Alcatel) and Siemens Aktiengesellschaft. As a result, the validity of the InterDigital patent was subjected to scrutiny by a panel of three senior patent examiners, who have found in InterDigital's favour.
President and ceo of InterDigital Robert Bramson says that the fact that the German patent has withstood the review after opposition by "three major European communication companies", together with the prior approval of its basic TDMA system patent claims in proceedings filed by Nokia Cellular Systems Oy in the Finnish Patent Office, is "extremely encouraging."
Bramson added that the decisions have reinforced the company's judgement that its TDMA systems patents are valid, increased its resolve to "go forward vigorously" with the American lawsuits, and renewed its determination in granting royalty-bearing, non-exclusive licenses for its portfolio of 450 domestic and foreign TDMA patents.
An Ericsson spokesman said that the German decision did not affect its case in the US, which is based on the twin propositions that certain of InterDigital's TDMA patents are irrelevant to its equipment and that others are invalid because they cover technology in the public domain. However, he added that the opponents in the German patent case were filing an appeal against the decision.
INTERDIGITAL TECHNOLOGY DEFEATS ERICSSON IN SWEDISH PATENT OFFICE 10/19/1994
PR Newswire
(Copyright (c) 1994, PR Newswire)
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- InterDigital Communications Corporation ("InterDigital") (AMEX: IDC) today announced that its subsidiary, InterDigital Technology Corporation ("InterDigital Technology"), has received a favorable decision from the Swedish Patent Office. A Swedish patent application entitled Base Station for Wireless Digital Telephone System ("Base Station Patent") filed by InterDigital Technology was allowed despite a formal opposition filed by the Swedish- based, Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson.
The Swedish Base Station Patent consolidates two of InterDigital Technology's U.S. Patents, U.S. Patent No. 4,779,262 (the '262 Patent) and U.S. Patent No. 4,777,633. The '262 Patent is one of eight patents which InterDigital Technology has charged two Ericsson subsidiaries with infringing in a patent infringement suit that is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. In the opposition, Ericsson argued that the Base Station Patent was invalid and should not be allowed. After reviewing Ericsson's opposition papers and InterDigital Technology's response, the Swedish Patent Office ruled in InterDigital Technology's favor and concluded that InterDigital's claims are valid. The decision of the Swedish Patent Office may be appealed to the Swedish Court of Patent Appeals.
Robert S. Bramson, President and Chief Executive Officer of InterDigital Technology, stated, "We are pleased that we have prevailed against Ericsson in its home country. The Swedish Patent Office's decision is important because the Swedish patent application at issue is based in part on one of the U.S. patents that is involved in the lawsuit against Ericsson's U.S. subsidiaries. We expect that Ericsson may rely on the same unsuccessful arguments when it challenges the validity of the '262 Patent at trial in the U.S."
/CONTACT: Rob Wiltshire of InterDigital, 610-278-7800/ 12:33 EDT
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