Motorola sues Apple for six patent infringements

NEW YORK - A Motorola Inc unit sued Apple Inc, alleging the maker of the iPad computer tablet and iPhone mobile phone, is infringing six of its patents.

Motorola Mobility Inc, the mobile phone making unit of Motorola Inc, based in Schaumburg, Illinois, filed the complaint on Wednesday. The company, based in Libertyville, Illinois, alleges that Apple's iPhone, iPad and MacBook computers infringe patents for a method for distributing message traffic, among others.

"Apple's infringing activities have caused and will continue to cause Motorola irreparable harm," unless the court issues an injunction, according to a complaint in federal court in Chicago.

Kristin Huguet, an Apple spokeswoman, didn't immediately reply to a voice-mail message seeking comment.

Motorola may spin off that phone and television set-top box business as soon as the first quarter of next year, Co-Chief Executive Officer Sanjay K. Jha said on Tuesday at an event in San Francisco. The company's two-way radio and bar code units will be called Motorola Solutions.

Jha's comments came as Motorola unveiled six new smartphones including a version of its Droid handset for business users. The company is rebuilding its handset business around Google Inc's Android software, capitalizing on surging demand for devices utilizing the software.

While Cupertino, California-based Apple derived more than $13 billion in sales from its iPhones last year, Google's Android software has become the most popular operating system in the United States among new smartphone buyers in the past six months, passing the iPhone and Research in Motion Ltd's BlackBerry platforms, according to Nielsen Co.

Motorola accused Apple of infringing six patents in a second case in Chicago. The third case, also involving six patents, was filed in federal court in Miami.

Motorola also filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission accusing Apple of infringing 18 patents. The company asked the commission to launch an investigation with the ultimate goal of blocking Apple from importing infringing products to the US and halting their advertising, marketing and distribution.

The case is Motorola Mobility Inc v Apple Inc, 10-cv-6381, in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).

Bloomberg News

(China Daily 10/08/2010 page14)