A federal appeals court has overturned some findings in the Eastern District of Virginia Court’s December ruling against Blackberry maker Research In Motion.
A federal appeals court has overturned some findings in the Eastern District of Virginia Court’s December ruling against Blackberry maker Research In Motion.
Privately-held NTP Incorporated, a patent-holding company that has sued Research In Motion for infringement, will find little joy in the appeals court’s ruling. The accused infringement by RIM on “method” patents held by NTP was reversed by the court, according to Reuters.
But the court allowed the contention of infringement of email “system” patents held by NTP to stand. While RIM had no comment right after the decision, a lawyer for NTP, James Wallace, observed to Reuters, “All we need is just one claim to shut them down.”
The case between the two has persisted ever since NTP reversed itself and decided to go back to court instead of proceeding forward with a settlement agreement it entered into with RIM in March.
That settlement came out of a 2002 court case that found RIM had infringed on NTP patents. An injunction banning Blackberry sales in the United States was stayed until the appeals process could be completed.
NTP has had to watch as the US Patent and Trademark Office dismissed several of its patents. Though NTP can appeal, disputing the patent office can occupy years. Meanwhile, the District Court could compel both RIM and NTP to abide by the March agreement, worth $450 million USD to NTP.
A ruling that forces the two sides to accept the settlement would benefit RIM, which has stated it wants to do just that: pay the $450 million to NTP and be done with the case.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
