A new week, a new judgment – and again a so-called “patent troll” wins. This time, Apple is set to pay $ 300 million. Optis Wireless Technology LLC does not have any of its own products, only manages IP that it has purchased – and then sues with them. Industry giants around the world are exposed to this issue.
More and more it is said corporations vs. “patent trolls”
In almost no extended quarterly report of the large corporations in the industry, there is not at least one or more lawsuits from so-called “patent trolls” whose concerns are often rejected, but sometimes also accepted.
Apple had to feel that again, although they are of course appealing against the judgment against the complaints about five patents on the subject of LTE, which once belonged to LG, Samsung and Panasonic. Last year, the company was sentenced by a court to pay $ 506 million in damages, which was the first reduction in the amount. The 300 million US dollars now were only set for the period from February 2019 to August 2020 and are intended to comply with the FRAND guidelines (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory).
A prominent accused against patent trolls was recently, for example, Intel, which once won, but also lost a remarkable 2.18 billion US dollar judgment. There the first appeal was negative for her – but Intel is still fighting, and if necessary even want to go to the next higher instance.
Apple's list of possible lawsuits is also there Much longer: Fortress alone, including various subcontractors and partner companies that have sued various companies, has sued Apple for damages of up to 5.1 billion US dollars in 25 proceedings for various allegedly infringed patents. Often it is about older patents from companies that are no longer represented in the market.