Qualcomm Sues Meizu for Patent Infringement

View: 2227     Date: 2016-06-24 10:56

Qualcomm Incorporated announced that it has lodged a lawsuit against Meizu in the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, seeking verdicts that the terms of the patent license Qualcomm previously provided to Meizu are in compliance with China's Anti-Monopoly Law, and Qualcomm's fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing obligations. Besides, Qualcomm also requests a ruling that those patent license terms form a basis for the patent license which Qualcomm proposes to reach with Meizu in respect of Qualcomm's fundamental patents in China for their use in mobile devices, including the patents related to 3G (WCDMA and CDMA2000) and 4G (LTE) wireless communications standards.

It’s said that Qualcomm has tried to sign a patent license agreement with Meizu many times but failed. Maybe, Qualcomm believes it is time to try another way. Previously in 2015, Qualcomm reached a settlement with China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) with regard to NDRC’s investigation of Qualcomm under China's Anti-Monopoly Law (AML) by submitting a rectification plan. After that, Qualcomm signed fruitful patent license agreements with more than 100 Chinese companies including TCL, Xiaomi and Lenovo in accordance with the rectification plan terms.

"Qualcomm's technologies are at the heart of all mobile devices. Meizu is choosing to use these technologies without a license, which is not only unlawful, but is unfair to other licensees that are acting in good faith and respectful of patent rights, and ultimately damaging to the mobile ecosystem and consumers," said Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm Incorporated. "We are, and have been, a good partner in China, and we are pleased to see how China's mobile ecosystem is thriving. Chinese Smartphone suppliers are succeeding both domestically and globally, and we are pleased to help drive that growth.  Qualcomm looks forward to continuing to increase its level of commitment to, and investment in, China across both the wireless and semiconductor ecosystems."

(International Affairs Dept. of Leader IP)