Broadcom says that it has started more litigation against Qualcomm, asserting that Qualcomm's conduct before prominent industry standards organizations violates California law. In a 37-page complaint, Broadcom asserts that Qualcomm's misconduct before standards setting bodies includes improperly concealing its patents, reneging on licensing obligations, and exerting dominance through hidden affiliations.
Only last month the frosty relations between the two firms seemed to thaw slightly as they both dropped some of their legal actions against each other.
The complaint alleges that Qualcomm has engaged in a pattern of misconduct across multiple technologies and multiple standards bodies, including those responsible for setting cellular, video, and mobile broadband standards. Broadcom maintains that this misconduct constitutes fraud, breach of contract, and violation of California's unfair competition statute.
"We now know that Qualcomm has been playing games with industry standards processes for years, leaving both consumers and competitors like Broadcom to pay a heavy price," said David A. Dull, Broadcom's Senior Vice President and General Counsel. "Our goal is to put a stop to this improper behavior and force Qualcomm to play by the same rules that apply to its competitors as well as its own customers."
The relief Broadcom seeks from Qualcomm in the lawsuit includes disgorgement of profits, restitution, compensatory and punitive damages, and a permanent injunction barring Qualcomm from seeking to enforce certain cellular, video, and mobile broadband patents against Broadcom or Broadcom's customers."
Posted to the site on 16th April 2007
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/23154.php