Nokia: Google's Nexus 7 Tablet Infringes Our Patents

walterbyrd writes with a story at The Inquirer outlining the latest volley in the patent wars surrounding mobile hardware, this time aimed at the new Aus-built Nexus 7 tablet from Google by Nokia, in which the company's spokesman says, "Nokia has more than 40 licensees, mainly for its standards essential patent portfolio, including most of the mobile device manufacturers. Neither Google nor Asus is licensed under our patent portfolio. 'Companies who are not yet licensed under our standard essential patents should simply approach us and sign up for a license.'"

Comments

Good ol' Microsoft

[Severus Snape]

Can't prove it but we all know this is another one of Microsoft's proxy wars.

Re:Good ol' Microsoft

[MikeMo]

Come on, they're not a "troll". Patent trolls are regularly regarded as companies that make no product, have never implemented their patent, and exist only to sue. Nokia clearly invented a lot of the basic stuff that makes cell phones work today, and many of the standards in existence use these patents.

This is a FRAND issue. Nokia is stating that Google is using technology covered in the standards, which require FRAND licenses, and which they have not acquired. They just need to step up and get them.

Further, as far as I can tell, Nokia has been one of the best-behaved FRAND licensors in the business.

Re:Good ol' Microsoft

[Riceballsan]

Nokia was under completely different management 2 years ago, which essentially makes every point on behavior prior to the microsoft deals entirely unrelated points.

Re:Good ol' Microsoft

[Missing.Matter]

Right because Google never experienced any crashes during a demo. Apple as well, known for their presentations, have always put on a perfect show with everything performing exactly as expected.

Have you ever given a high-stakes presentation? Have ever given hundreds of them? Shit happens, and the more you get up there and put yourself on the line, the more shit happens.

Steve Jobs had the right take on it.

Even though Steve was a fierce competitor, he actually drew the line at taking advantage of competitors’ demo woes. I remember one time during the “think different” years when Bill Gates suffered a terrible failure demoing a new Microsoft technology. We at the agency thought it would make a very funny commercial for Apple. It seemed like an idea being handed to us on a silver platter. We would simply show Gates failing and end the ad with a clever line about Apple.

Steve laughed — but he rejected it immediately. He said that demo crashes are an unavoidable part of the business, and that his own demos could fail as easily as Gates’.

Source - The Joy of Demo Crashes

Re:Good ol' Microsoft

[jimicus]

Microsoft has NOTHING to gain by patent trolling Google. Zero.

Not true, I'm quite sure they'd love to bring their office furniture repair costs down.

Re:Good ol' Microsoft

[msauve]

"Google is using technology covered in the standards, which require FRAND licenses, and which they have not acquired."

Just because Google doesn't license WiFi patents directly from Nokia doesn't mean they don't have legitimate licenses. It's not uncommon for chipset vendors to license patented technologies for use in their silicon, freeing those who use those chipsets from having to negotiate a separate license.

I'm not claiming that's the case here, but even if Nokia's claim that Google hasn't directly licensed the patents is true, it doesn't mean that Google doesn't have a right to use the technology, or that they're not paying Nokia (indirectly).

Transformer Line?

[brunes69]

Asus has been making the transformer line for years. If Asus is not licensing required patents for Wifi, why has Nokia delayed on demands for so long?

Which patent?

[ameen.ross]

FTFA

It's believed that the patents in question have to do with the IEEE 802.11 WiFi standard

Wifi patents

[chrb]

I guessed that this was probably something GSM related, but TFA says "It's believed that the patents in question have to do with the IEEE 802.11 WiFi standard". It's hard to imagine that Asus doesn't already have a license for essential wifi patents, they must have sold millions of devices over the last few years that have featured wifi as standard.

Bit odd that this has not been an issue until the moment that they release a Google branded device.

Can no one else see where this is going?

[gman003]

The whole massive patent portfolios thing was hinged on mutually assured destruction. Everyone was violating at least one of everyone's patents, but as long as you either had enough of an armory yourself, or paid your dues to the patent portfolios, you were safe (disregarding wild patent trolls). Sort of like the actual Cold War - as long as you had enough nukes, or allied yourself with someone who did, you were safe (disregarding "rogue nations" and proxy wars).

Well, this Patent Cold War is becoming a Patent World War.

It's been going on for a while now, ever since the smartphone lawsuits first stated, but it's ramping up. They're coming faster and faster now, and going for bigger and bigger things. Pretty soon, you'll be seeing injunctions against entire companies, or multi-trillion-dollar fines.

I expect, in the end, most of those involved will end up out-of-business. And, hopefully, it will end with a massive patent system reform.

Re:Can no one else see where this is going?

[savuporo]

I expect, in the end, most of those involved will end up out-of-business. And, hopefully, it will end with a massive patent system reform.

You know, i get scared whenever anyone calls for a reform. I mean no doubt that the current system is broken, but i dread to see what the current powers would come up with to replace the current system.

There was some sanity and integrity still around when the last system was designed - and now it has outlived it's usefulness, but we are also all out of sanity and integrity.

Ugh

[Rik Sweeney]

Even though it's got nothing to do with Apple, I'm still going to blame them anyway since, as we all know, everyone copies off Apple, be it rounded corners or patent trolling

:P

Are we reading too much into this?

[IrrepressibleMonkey]

There's not a lot to go in the Inquirer article (there never is in my experience), but isn't it possible that Nokia's stance is entirely reasonable? Maybe it does hold standards essential patents relevant to the Nexus tablet and is entitled to FRAND payments. It's not threatening to seek injunctions. On the face of it, Nokia is seeking payment for licenses that it believes it is entitled to.

Not sure how we get from here to alleging Microsoft-led conspiracies... At least wait for the Google/Asus responses before taking sides.

Re:Are we reading too much into this?

[spire3661]

The Nexus 7 isnt fundamentally different from their other tablets/phones in regards to these patents. Why bring suit now?

Re:Patents?

[hendridm]

I hear SCO makes a solid UNIX product as well.

Ceo elop

[Anonymous Coward]

The Nexus 7 also violates Nokia’s patent for “a method for losing money on hardware sales.”

Re:Defending royalties is obligate

[Tough Love]

See, Nokia is talking about "standards essential" patents. A situation that needs to be outlawed. Granting a monopoly on a new invention is one thing, mandating by a standard that everybody must use that new invention is quite another. And quite outrageous. This widespread practice has only flourished in the past because it has flown under the radar of the average citizen. It can't be allowed to continue.