Ericsson is the world's largest maker of equipment for wireless networks, and it also owns a number of patents. The company announced that the extension of the license for the use of patents with Samsung was negotiated for the last two years, and that an agreement was not reached. In their opinion the only solution that would protect their intellectual property was a lawsuit. They also said that the company offered to license it under FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) terms, but Samsung did not agree. Many other companies agreed to license it under the same conditions, according to Ericsson. Samsung has sold millions of devices which use the technology that Ericsson claims they don’t have legal right to since 2007, when the license expired.

From Samsung comes a slightly different story - they say that Ericsson is seeking an unreasonably high price for licensing the same patents [a claim that others have used against Samsung to get out of paying for Samsung covered technology – Ed]. Since Samsung can’t (or will not) accept such extreme demands, they will take the necessary legal action to protect themselves from excessive claims, representatives of the Korean giant stated. There is no information on when the trial might begin.

[Ed – Patents are flying around the market like paper airplanes these days. It seems that companies are using these to maintain market dominance and are even trying to push outside the FRAD guidelines in the US and also the EU. We have a feeling that Samsung will push to have the patent listed as exhausted or they will find that one company that Ericsson gave the patent to for less than what was asked from Samsung. Baring that Samsung could have a few more patent troubles in their future….]

What do you think about Ericsson’s lawsuit coming so soon after Sony dropped them as a partner? Tell us in our Forum