Ericsson sues Apple for patent infringement to defend fair licensing system
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
* Many of Ericsson's patents are essential to the 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE standards;
others are critical to other non-standardized aspects of Apple's devices.
* After Apple refused Ericsson's offer to have a court determine fair
licensing terms by which both companies would be bound, Ericsson filed a
complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) requesting an
exclusion order against Apple's products for infringing Ericsson patents
that are essential to the 2G and 4G/LTE standards.
* Ericsson also filed a second ITC complaint seeking an exclusion order and
multiple complaints in the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Texas requesting damages and injunctions for infringement of
patents that are critical to many other aspects of Apple's devices.
* By refusing Ericsson's fair and reasonable licensing offer for patented
technology used in Apple smartphones and tablets, Apple harms the entire
market and reduces the incentive to share innovation.
On February 26, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) filed two complaints with the
International Trade Commission (ITC) and seven complaints in the United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Apple asserting 41
patents covering many aspects of Apple's iPhones and iPads. The patents include
standard essential patents related to the 2G and 4G/LTE standards as well as
other patents that are critical to features and functionality of Apple devices
such as the design of semiconductor components, user interface software,
location services and applications, as well as the iOS operating system.
Ericsson seeks exclusion orders in the ITC proceedings and damages and
injunctions in the District Court actions.
Kasim Alfalahi, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson, said: "Apple's
products benefit from the technology invented and patented by Ericsson's
engineers. Features that consumers now take for granted - like being able to
livestream television shows or access their favorite apps from their phone -
rely on the technology we have developed. We are committed to sharing our
innovations and have acted in good faith to find a fair solution. Apple
currently uses our technology without a license and therefore we are seeking
help from the court and the ITC."
Last month, Ericsson filed a suit in the Eastern District of Texas in order to
receive an independent assessment on whether Ericsson's global licensing offer
to Apple complies with Ericsson's commitment to offer fair, reasonable and non-
discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms. Apple also filed a lawsuit asking the
United States District Court for the Northern District of California to find
that it does not infringe a small subset of Ericsson's patents, a claim that
Ericsson disputes.
Apple's global license agreement for Ericsson's mobile technology expired last
month, and Apple has declined to take a new license offered on FRAND terms.
Ericsson made several attempts to find a fair solution, including an offer for
both parties to be bound by a decision on fair licensing terms by a United
States federal court. Apple has refused all attempts, so Ericsson has filed
these infringement complaints to defend the industry's long-standing principle
of technology sharing.
Ericsson has one of the industry's strongest intellectual property portfolios,
which includes more than 35,000 granted patents worldwide. To date, Ericsson has
signed more than 100 patent-licensing agreements with most of the major players
in the industry.
Ericsson pioneered the open standards for today's advanced telecommunications
platforms and contributed to significant advancements in technology and
connectivity including 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE. These innovations, in turn, have
enabled the creation of high-speed data networks that connect the world and
enable people to send pictures, video chat, follow their favorite television
shows, consult with doctors in remote locations, track materials in transit and
much more from any location. Standards are also essential for allowing
technology and devices from different companies to work together, which in turn
creates more market opportunities for manufacturers and more choices for
consumers.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Download high-resolution photos and broadcast-quality video at
www.ericsson.com/press
Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society - a world leader in
communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every
major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to
fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.
Our services, software and infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband
and the cloud - are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better
business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new
opportunities.
With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we
combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support
networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the
world's mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in
research and development ensure that our solutions - and our customers - stay in
front.
Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales
in 2014 were SEK 228.0 billion (USD 33.1 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ
OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.
www.ericsson.com
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Ericsson Corporate Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail: media.relations(at)ericsson.com
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E-mail: investor.relations(at)ericsson.com
Ericsson sues Apple for patent infringement to defend fair licensing:
http://hugin.info/1061/R/1897919/673786.pdf
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Source: Ericsson via GlobeNewswire
[HUG#1897919]
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Datum: 27.02.2015 - 08:00 Uhr
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