Chip maker Texas Instruments has sued Qualcomm, alleging
that the cellular technology company violated a December 2000
cross-licensing agreement.
The breach-of-contract suit is the latest in a legal battle over
the 2000 patent portfolio agreement involving mobile phone chip
technology.
In July, Qualcomm sued Texas Instruments for breach of the same
deal. Texas Instruments filed a motion earlier this month to
dismiss that suit.
Texas Instruments is suing because it has received reports that
Qualcomm is offering mobile phone makers discounts on handset
royalties only if they buy their code division multiple access chip
sets from Qualcomm. Earlier this year, Texas Instruments joined
with STMicroelectronics and Nokia to offer a chipset for CDMA2000
1X, a CDMA-based, high-speed mobile data technology.
The suit seeks a court order to require Qualcomm to follow the
terms of the cross-licensing deal and an injunction to prohibit the
company from making false or misleading statements about each
party's rights and obligations.
Qualcomm spokeswoman Christine Trimble said her company had not
seen the TI complaint and, therefore, cannot comment on it.
Stephen Lawson writes for IDG News Service