02.10.13
FRAND Still Used by Microsoft and Apple Against Google, FOSS, and Android
Summary: Updates (mostly from Groklaw) about FRAND lawsuits of Microsoft and Apple
FRAND battles against Android have been waged by Microsoft and Apple, the patent allies (or conspiracy), for quite some time. It’s unfair and unreasonable. There are some updates about it in links shared by Groklaw, which in many of its relevant news picks talks about Apple ‘s fight against Motorola:
Motorola and Apple are currently facing off over patent-related issues in several ongoing judicial proceedings, including multiple appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. One of these Federal Circuit appeals was brought by Apple over Judge Crabb’s dismissal of Apple’s claims that Motorola violated the antitrust laws and breached its contracts with SSOs in conducting its SEP-related licensing and enforcement activities. But on January 25, Motorola filed a motion with the Federal Circuit to dismiss Apple’s appeal (or transfer it to the Seventh Circuit), asserting that the Federal Circuit lacks jurisdiction to hear the case. While at first blush this seems like just a mundane dispute over civil procedure issues, a decision on this motion may have significant consequences for future FRAND-related proceedings.
Pamela Jones alludes to this case but still focuses on Microsoft, which chose its back yard, Seattle, for this biased and hypocritical FRAND plot. Here is the latest:
Judge James Robart in the Microsoft v. Motorola litigation in Seattle has ruled now on Microsoft’s partial summary judgment motion that they held the hearing about last week. He has — surprise, surprise — once again ruled for Microsoft. He has not yet ruled on the other issue the hearing was about, the issue of the Google license agreement with MPEG LA.
Aided by Microsoft boosters (some are Gates-funded) who had flooded the court, Microsoft won those biased trials before. Trial by media much? █
