Qualcomm had sued Nokia in 2006 alleging that its GSM mobile
phone technology infringed two patents it held which it said
protected power saving and power control technology.
The High Court has said that none of Nokia's technology
infringes a valid part of a Qualcomm patent.
The power saving patent was deemed invalid, and the power
control patent only partially valid.
Though the Court said that Nokia's technology included material
covered by the power saving patent, that was irrelevant since the
patent was invalid.
It said that Nokia technology also included some material in the
power control patent, but only the invalid parts, and that
therefore no licence fees were due.
"We are pleased with the Court's decision that the patent claims
are invalid and believe it is consistent with and supported by the
facts," said Rick Simonson, Chief Financial Officer of Nokia. 'This
is the second court to conclude that Qualcomm does not have
relevant and valid GSM patents."
Last week the US International Trade Commission backed a judge's
December determination that Nokia technology does not infringe
Qualcomm's GSM patents as claimed by the company.
"The UK High Court and US ITC findings are further evidence of
Qualcomm overstating its position as an industry innovator and
demanding compensation for patents that are not relevant or valid,"
Simonson said.
The courtroom spat is the latest in a long running dispute over
patents which began in 2005, when Nokia complained to the European
Commission about Qualcomm's behaviour over standardisation for
third generation (3G) mobile phone networks. Nokia said that
Qualcomm agreed that it would not over-charge for licences to its
technology if it was incorporated into industry-wide standards.
Once those standards were set, argued Nokia, Qualcomm levied
charges that were excessive and disproportionate. That case is
ongoing.
A week later Qualcomm filed a suit in the US alleging that Nokia
infringed 11 of its patents. Nokia filed another suit in Europe in
recent weeks arguing that the patents on which Qualcomm's cases
rest have expired in Europe.
A year ago a cross-licensing deal between the companies lapsed
and has not been renewed.
