IP Law Daily, PATENT NEWS: Cellular phone companies accused of infringing mobile communication patents, (Apr 8, 2014)
Law Firms Mentioned:Nelson Bumgardner Casto, P.C.
Organizations Mentioned:AT&T Inc. | AT&T Mobility LLC | AT&T Mobility, LLC | Apple | Apple, Inc. | Boost Mobile, LLC | Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless | Cellular Communications Equipment LLC | Sprint Corporation | Sprint Nextel Corp. | Sprint Solutions, Inc. | Sprint Spectrum L.P. | Sprint Spectrum, LP | T-Mobile US | T-Mobile USA, Inc. | Verizon Communications | Verizon Communications, Inc. | Verizon Wireless | and T-Mobile US, Inc.
By Peter Reap, J.D., LL.M.
Cellular Communications Equipment LLC (“CCE”) has filed suit in the federal district court in Tyler, Texas, accusing Apple Inc. and several cellular telephone service providers (collectively, the “defendants”) of infringing six patents assigned to CCE that relate to mobile communication systems. Specifically, CCE contends that the defendants directly and/or indirectly infringe one or more claims of the six patents by made, offering for sale, selling, importing, and/or use of Apple mobile devices, including, for example: the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5c, and the iPhone 5s, and Apple iPads and iPad minis.
CCE charges that Apple and the defendant providers (AT&T Inc.; AT&T Mobility LLC; Verizon Communications, Inc.; Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless; Sprint Corporation; Sprint Solutions, Inc.; Sprint Spectrum L.P.; Boost Mobile, LLC; T-Mobile USA, Inc.; and T-Mobile US, Inc.) have knowledge of the patents asserted, either through earlier litigation involving the parties or as a result of their membership in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (or “3GPP”). 3GPP solicits identification of standard essential patents, and, through 3GPP, the defendants received actual notice of the standard essential patents at issue in CCE’s complaint, it alleges.
CCE requests a judgment ordering the defendants to account for and pay to CCE damages incurred by CCE because of the infringing conduct, in addition to a reasonable, ongoing, post-judgment royalty. CCE also requests a finding of willful infringement and that the court award treble damages.
The complaint in Cellular Communications Equipment LLC v. Apple, Inc., Case No. 6:14-cv-251, was filed April 7, 2014.
Attorneys: Edward R. Nelson, III (Nelson Bumgardner Casto, P.C.) for Cellular Communications Equipment LLC.
Companies: Cellular Communications Equipment LLC; Apple, Inc.; AT&T Inc.; AT&T Mobility LLC; Verizon Communications, Inc.; Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless; Sprint Corporation; Sprint Solutions, Inc.; Sprint Spectrum L.P.; Boost Mobile, LLC; T-Mobile USA, Inc.; and T-Mobile US, Inc.
News: Patent TexasNews