Washington universities file Bluetooth suit against handset vendors

Patent-related lawsuits are part of the high-tech landscape. Here’s a new twist: a nonprofit group representing the state of Washington’s public universities has filed suit against Nokia Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. over alleged infringement of Bluetooth patents developed at the University of Washington, according to media reports.
The suit was filed Dec. 21 after three years of fruitless attempts to reach an agreement among the parties, according to the University of Washington.
Nokia and Samsung routinely decline to respond to specific questions about pending legal matters.
According to the complaint, which seeks damages, Bluetooth devices made by the three companies violate four patents held by the Washington Research Institute, which focuses on the commercial use of technical advancements created at Washington’s public universities. The institute also enforces patents it holds.
The issue rests on Bluetooth chips from CSR plc of Cambridge, England, which has not licensed Washington Research Institute’s Bluetooth patents. Nokia, Samsung and Matsushita use CSR’s Bluetooth chips in their phones. Rival Bluetooth chipmaker Broadcom Corp. has licensed the technology from the institute.
A representative at the Washington Research Institute told media that the three companies named in the suit could resolve the issue by initiating a licensing agreement or by purchasing chips from Broadcom.