The judge overseeing the investigation initiated by Qualcomm against Nokia in the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has ordered a stay of the proceedings until further notice.
On June 9, 2006 Qualcomm filed a complaint with the ITC requesting an investigation into the alleged infringement by Nokia’s GSM products of six Qualcomm patents. The ITC subsequently initiated an investigation on July 10, 2006. The trial had been scheduled to begin on March 5, 2007.
Nokia has always said it would defend the case, and it said that Qualcomm’s voluntary withdrawal of claims around three of the patents was a sign of weakness in the Qualcomm case. It is clearly hoping that the case will now be dropped without going to court, but it said in a statement if the case did still go forward, it would “welcome the opportunity “to prove that the claims regarding the three remaining patents have no more merit than those Qualcomm has already voluntarily withdrawn.”
Last Friday (23 February) Qualcomm and Broadcom agreed to dismiss claims around two patents belonging to Broadcom and two patents belonging to QUALCOMM. Broadcom’s case too was set to begin on 5 March 2007, and will not now go ahead. Qualcomm’s cancellation of its two claims has also meant a case due to progress in San Diego is cancelled. Four other jury trials on cases between the two companies are now scheduled to go ahead.