Qualcomm has won its latest legal battle with Nokia, as the two companies continue to dispute licensing terms for patents for 3G telecoms services.
In a decision on November 14, the District Court in The Hague dismissed an action brought by Nokia in which it claimed that Qualcomm’s European patents are exhausted with respect to chips placed on the market by Texas Instruments under an agreement between Qualcomm and TI signed in 2000.
According to Qualcomm, the court said Nokia’s complaint was not specific enough. The decision only applies to the Netherlands and Nokia has three months to appeal.
Last month, a court in Mannheim, Germany dismissed similar claims filed by Nokia, saying they were inadmissible.
Qualcomm and Nokia are involved in a number of cases in various jurisdictions, as they have so far failed to agree licensing terms for Qualcomm’s 3G patents.
A trial between the two companies in the UK, in which Qualcomm is suing Nokia, is due to start next week.
Managing IP’s November issue includes a review, with illustrations, of litigation over 3G telecoms patents, including the cases between Nokia and Qualcomm.
