BlackBerry ruling gives RIM some relief
Publish date: 10 August 2005
Issue Number: 1093
Diary: Legalbrief eLaw
Category: Patents
A federal Appeals Court upheld most of NTPs patent infringement claims over RIMs BlackBerry device, but it dismissed one relating to a business method patent and lifted an injunction that threatened to ban sales in the US.
Out-Law.com reports that the dispute dates back to November 2001, when holding company NTP alleged that certain Research In Motion products were infringing on patents covering a method of using radio frequency wireless communications in e-mail systems. The ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington largely upholds a previous ruling, but finds that RIM had not infringed on NTPs patent claims relating to a business method. The court lifted the earlier injunction and damages award, and returned the case to the District Court for adjudication on the effect of the flawed definition of originating processor on the remaining claims. Full Out-Law.com report
