The Washington Research Foundation is suing two of the world's
largest makers of mobile handsets for using Bluetooth technology, which
WRF [World Research Foundation] claims infringes its patents.
The WRF was founded in 1981 to assist universities and other nonprofit
research institutions in the state of Washington with the
commercialization of their technologies. Its remit also includes
enforcing any patents, as well as providing various support measures,
including a seed venture fund, WRF Capital.
On December 21, the WRF filed a complaint at the US Western District
Court of Washington State at Seattle (case number C06-1813), on behalf
of the University of Washington.
In
the complaint, it cites Nokia Corp, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and
Panasonic, which is owned by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co of
Japan, as allegedly infringing four patents sold under the Bluetooth
name.
The WRF claims the three companies have sold handsets and devices in
the United States using Bluetooth chips from Cambridge, UK-based CSR
Plc, which allegedly uses technology that infringes the University's
radio frequency receiver patents.
Specifically, one of the
violated patents concerns research carried by Edwin Suominen when he
was an undergraduate student at the University. Suominen received a
bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1995, and he was awarded
a patent in 1999 for a "simplified high-frequency broadband tuner and
tuning method".
Shares in Bluetooth silicon developer CSR fell
2.8% to 640 pence ($12.49) in afternoon trading on the London Stock
Exchange on Wednesday. A company spokesman remained tip lipped about
the lawsuit.
"We have a copy of the complaint, and it is being
reviewed by us and our council," the CSR spokesman told Computer
Business Review. "We cannot make any further comment at this stage."
CSR
has more than a 50% market share of the Bluetooth global chip market
and its chips are used by Nokia, Samsung and Panasonic in their mobile
and consumer devices. CSR rival Broadcom Corp has already purchased a
license from WRF to cover any consumer electronic devices that uses its
Bluetooth chips.
Bluetooth is a specification for a wireless
technology that involves the use of a radio frequency for short-range
wireless exchanges of data between mobile phones, computers, headsets
and other devices. Many people cite an engineer at Ericsson, namely
Jaap Haartsen, as the initiator of the technology. Ericsson later
donated the technology for the market to develop.
In February
1998, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed, initially
by Ericsson, Toshiba, IBM, Nokia and Intel, in order to further develop
Bluetooth technology and promote its widespread commercial acceptance.
Soon after, Microsoft, Agere Systems (then Lucent), 3Com and Motorola
joined its ranks.
SIG said in November that one billion Bluetooth devices had been shipped globally.
A
SIG spokesperson told Computer Business Review that he couldn't comment
on the news as he was awaiting clarification from the US over the exact
nature of the lawsuit. "I don't understand if the lawsuit is a result
of a specification infringement or implementation issue," said the
spokesperson.
According to WRF attorney Steven Lisa, quoted in
the Seattle Times newspaper, it seems that WRF is not targeting CSR as
the chipmaker was not aware that its chip would be used in the United
States "where the patent is enforceable." Lisa added that the devices
makers were aware that products containing CSR's chips would be used in
the United States.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, with
the proceeds to divided between the University of Washington and
Suominen, who is serving as a technical adviser in the case.
"Defendants
have manufactured, used, imported into the United States, sold and
offered for sale devices which, or the use of which, infringes at least
the '963' patent," the Foundation was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"It
is the policy of Samsung Electronics that it does not comment on
on-going lawsuits, considering its legal nature," the Korean giant told
Computer Business Review. Meanwhile, there was no comment from either
Nokia and Panasonic.
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