RIM hit by another patent infringement suit

[CatlinFD]

How’s this to start day 1 of your new gig? RIM was hit today with a new patent infringement suit from WiLAN. According to a press release WiLAN stated that “RIM is infringing U.S. Patent No. 5,515,369 and U.S. Patent No. 6,232,969″.

Patent number 5,515,369, “Method for frequency sharing and frequency punchout in frequency hopping communications network”, is specifically associated to how BlackBerry smartphones and the PlayBook use Bluetooth. In total WiLAN says that over 60 devices that have infringed on the patent. Patent number 6,232,969, “A Device for composing or editing a string of characters”, relates to the “sym” key on several BlackBerry devices.

WiLAN, a company who specializes in licensing out their patents, said they have been “irreparably harmed and monetarily harmed” by RIM’s unauthorized use. No dollar amount was listed, but the company believes RIM should pay triple the damages if found guilty.

Lovely greeting on the first day as CEO

[mjs416]

Well at least RIM isnt being left out by all the law suits. They are now in the cool kids club with Apple and Samsung.

[MrLynd54]

WOW. I wonder how many inventions have been trashed because of incidents like this.

[Alex_Hong]

i'm curious about their choice of words.
“irreparably harmed and monetarily harmed”?
does WiLan make phones and tablets? did they went bankrupt if RIM hypothetically did infringed the mentioned patents? if not i dont see how they could be “irreparably harmed". If RIM did indeed infringe the mentioned patent, they should just pay the normal licensing fees. There is no logic for RIM to pay triple.

infringing patents is no big deal in my opinion. As long as after the patent holder reached out to the company and has a valid infringement, and the company pays the required fees, i dont see whats the big deal.

[Barljo]

i would have thought that there was a statute of limitations on a patent suit? The 'sym' key has been around for years, and i would imagine that it's simply too late to call them on now.

As someone said in the other thread on these guys, they're serial patent suitors. Shame that they couldn't be classed as bringing frivolous lawsuits and held in contempt imo.

[Rob Robertson]

BerryReview.com has an interesting take on this.

They're calling WiLan a 'Patent Troll'.

[tai888]

Originally Posted by MrLynd54

WOW. I wonder how many inventions have been trashed because of incidents like this.

It's even worse in the pharmaceutical industry, I swear they would have so many cures by now.

[grunt0300]

Wow. I wonder what this forum would be like if it was Apple was filing a suit against RIM?

[Wh0mpu5]

World War 3 : The Patents War!!!

Stupid Greedy little SOBs

[scalemaster34]

Originally Posted by grunt0300

Wow. I wonder what this forum would be like if it was Apple was filing a suit against RIM?

Apple only goes after company's that are competing against them...

[BBThemes]

Originally Posted by Rob Robertson

BerryReview.com has an interesting take on this.

They're calling WiLan a 'Patent Troll'.

they are a patent troll. sorry but thats simply obvious, they claim over 30 RIM products infringe on their patents, so ya have to ask, why didnt they want to defend their patent when it was first allegdly infringed upon? thats what loses them credibility is that they waited to be `irreperably harmed` over many years before filing a suit.

Personally there should be a date on patent suits, where if you dont file a suit within a certain time you dont have a claim. that would bring thiings into line a little rather than `4 years ago you infringed our patent, and we care so so much that we only just noticed`. this is why so many say the patent system is so broken.

[bbpandy]

Originally Posted by Alex_Hong

i'm curious about their choice of words.
“irreparably harmed and monetarily harmed”?
does WiLan make phones and tablets? did they went bankrupt if RIM hypothetically did infringed the mentioned patents? if not i dont see how they could be “irreparably harmed". If RIM did indeed infringe the mentioned patent, they should just pay the normal licensing fees. There is no logic for RIM to pay triple.

infringing patents is no big deal in my opinion. As long as after the patent holder reached out to the company and has a valid infringement, and the company pays the required fees, i dont see whats the big deal.

Not sure how they could be, They are serial patent suitors, aka Patent Trolls. They purchased these patents from another company a few years ago & are now claiming foul.

It's like that almost 700 Million suit RIM had to pay in 2007. That company was "irreparably harmed and monetarily harmed" even though it had never made a thing in it's life & only had one employee. Otherwise known as the KING TROLL who also owned the company & their net of random & broad patents.