Adding another suit to the series of legal skirmishes falling under the overarching battle between Apple and Android Manufacturers, Motorola Mobility has filed a new lawsuit in Florida, accusing Apple of infringing on a handful of technology patents. This suit is hot on the heels of a preliminary U.S. ITC decision that Moto had not infringed on Apple's patents, and comes as an addition to an existing Florida lawsuit (which began in late 2010).
The suit includes six patents, ranging from internal antennas to methods for communicating summarized data. Here's a full list, courtesy of FOSS Patents, who first broke the story:
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U.S. Patent No. 5,710,987 on a "receiver having concealed external antenna"
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U.S. Patent No. 5,754,119 on a "multiple pager status synchronization system and method"; Motorola is asserting the European equivalent of this patent against Apple in Mannheim, with a decision (that will likely be favorable for Motorola) scheduled for Friday of next week (February 3, 2012)
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U.S. Patent No. 5,958,006 on a "method and apparatus for communicating summarized data"
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U.S. Patent No. 6,101,531 on a "system for communicating user-selected criteria filter prepared at wireless client to communication server for filtering data transferred from host to said wireless client"
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U.S. Patent No. 6,008,737 on an "apparatus for controlling utilization of software added to a portable communication device"
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U.S. Patent No. 6,377,161 on a "method and apparatus in a wireless messaging system for facilitating an exchange of address information"
These complaints are asserted against the iPhone 4S and Apple's iCloud service. Given the duration of MMI's pre-existing suit in Florida, it may take a while for the accusations to reach trial.
As FOSS notes, the timing of this suit is significant – as you may know, Google's purchase of Motorola Mobility has not closed just yet, so the fact that they signed off (as required by the merger agreement) says something. What those following the overarching legal battles can be sure of, however, is that neither side is prepared to back down, and Motorola Mobility is still fighting hard in the legal arena.
via FOSS Patents