Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) supported Rockstar Consortium that acquired Nortel Network’s 6,000 patent portfolios, is now accusing other Tech giants of patent violation.
String of lawsuits that surfaced Thursday, involving some of the major tech firms, have resulted in the formation of two opposing teams. One of the team named Rockstar Consortium includes Apple, Microsoft, BlackBerry, Ericsson, and Sony, and the other team have Google, Samsung, Huawei, HTC, and others.
Google accused of violating seven patents
Reuters reported that Rockstar Consortium have brought claims against Google and other companies involving a number of patents. Google has been blamed of violating seven patents concerning internet search terms with advertising.
“While we haven’t yet been served with this complaint, we continue to advocate for patent reform that would address the current flood of patent litigation,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement.
Rockstar has engaged two law firms, having experience in patent and litigation, for filing the suit. Google’s lawsuit is being handled by Susman Godfrey, who has fought patent cases like Paul Allen’s lawsuits against Facebook, Google, and others, says a report from arstechnica.
Disputes started two years back
The brawl started in June 2011 when the companies were up against each other to purchase Nortel Network’s 6,000 patent portfolio. Google’s bid to purchase Nortel patents for $4.4 billion was defeated when Rockstar Consortium brought it for $4.5 billion.
“Despite losing in its attempt to acquire the patents-in-suit at auction, Google has infringed and continues to infringe,” the lawsuit said, according to Reuters.
After losing the bid to acquire Nortel patents, Google brought Motorola Mobility and its patents for $12.5 billion in February, 2012.
Patents war, a regular business operation now
Nortel’s patents and applications include technologies like wireless, wireless 4G, data networking, optical, voice, Internet, and semiconductors.
In present times, companies are increasingly looking to acquire patents to support their growing business needs. The fight for patents violation is seen more in mobile devices owing to similar features that earlier was available only in standalone electronics.
Since the acquisition of Nortel, Rockstar has been working on reverse engineering of patents and also looking for evidence for violation of patents, according to Wired. John Veschi, the CEO of Rockstar, told the magazine “”Pretty much anybody out there is infringing.”
The case in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas is Rockstar Consortium US LP and Netstar Technologies LLC vs. Google, 13-893.
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