Motorola files complaint against RIM for patent violation

NEW YORK: Mobile phone giant Motorola has alleged that Research In Motion (RIM), maker of BlackBerry phones, has engaged in unfair trade practices by selling products that infringe five of the US firm's patents.

Motorola, which has filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC), sought a probe into Canada-based RIM's use of its patents.

The five patents listed in Motorola's complaint relate to certain early-stage innovations developed by Motorola in key technology areas, such as Wi-Fi access, user interface, application management and power management, that are now being used by RIM.

"In light of RIM's continued unlicensed use of Motorola's patents... and RIM's refusal to design out Motorola's proprietary technology, Motorola had no choice but to file a complaint with the ITC to halt RIM's continued infringement," Motorola senior vice president (intellectual property law) Jonathan Meyer said.

In addition, Motorola has asked the ITC to bar RIM's importation of infringing products, "halting the marketing, advertising, demonstration and warehousing of inventory for distribution and use of such imported products in the US".

In recent times, a host of companies including Apple and Nokia, have been locked in patent litigations related to various technologies.