New Patent Suit Threatens Bluetooth Standard

Aditi.Tuteja writes "A U.S. research institute has sued Nokia, Samsung Electronics and Matsushita-owned Panasonic for violating a patent on Bluetooth technology, potentially putting the free wireless standard at risk. The Washington Research Foundation, which markets technology from the University of Washington, is seeking damages from the three mobile-phone makers for using a radio frequency receiver technology without paying royalties. From the article: 'According to the lawsuit, Bluetooth-based computers, cell phones and headsets made by the companies have violated four patents for research done in the mid-1990s by Edwin Suominen when he was a student at the University of Washington. All four patents are now licensed by the Washington Research Foundation. The foundation's lead counsel on the case, Steven Lisa, said the court filing followed two years of informal attempts to resolve the issue with the major players in the industry.'"

Delayed Suits

[nurb432]

If a large corporation delays filing a complant until *after* the technology has been adopted and is in wide use "oh, gee, you owe us money" i think they should lose most their rights for compensation. ( notice i said most, not all )

They knew it was in violation in the beginning, they should have spoke up long ago.

Re:Delayed Suits are Antisocial

[nurb432]

I say most, as sometimes they are honestly missed until its too late, especially when you are talking *small* companies or private individuals. I would not want to start a bad precedent where the little guys get screwed.

But we do agree there should be some penalty for people waiting to let others do the dirty work, then profit off that.