NTP is a small patent holding company that started a battle with RIM nearly 10 years ago regarding wireless email patent infringements. NTP won the suit for a whopping $612 million dollars in 2006. They later tried their patent suit again, suing Palm for the same thing, but the lawsuit was put on hold for reasons no one knows of.
Now 3 years later, NTP is looking to take on the rest of the major players in the industry. Tom Campana, the founder of NTP, holds valid patents from the USPTO board. The patents indicate he was the sole inventor of wireless email. I am yet unsure of how this plays to the effect of hardware and software used by Google or any other parties named in the suit.
The press release from NTP states it is to “ensure that those companies who are infringing NTP’s patents will be required to pay a licensing fee.” If it’s not already obvious, they feel the use of NTP’s patented technology needs to be paid for.
With all these companies suing each other over patents, I really wish I had a patent to claim fame to. The first suit against RIM lasted 5 years so I’m sure this won’t be a cut and dry case. I’m sure it will get settled like they all do in a relatively quiet manner. I highly doubt this will have any effect on Android or any of the carriers other than a monetary pay out, which is definitely going to hurt all these companies.
I wonder if all these suits are because the companies really are struggling in the economic downturn and need the money, or if it’s because they want to stir the kettle and let everyone know who invented what. Beats me, but it sure seems like every week we have a new suit knocking at the doors of our beloved industry.
Source: Android and Me
