SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Last week, a federal judge said Apple’s iPhones and iPads do not infringe on a Canadian company’s LTE patents.
LTE, or Long-Term Evolution, is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for both cell phones and data terminals. It is commonly marketed as 4G LTE in cell phones.
Ottawa-based intellectual property licensing company WiLAN Inc. sued Apple, along with HTC Corporation and Sierra Wireless Inc., in December 2012.
WiLAN claimed the companies infringed on its U.S. Patent Nos. 8,315,640 and 8,311,040.
Both HTC and Sierra have since signed license and settlement agreements resolving the litigation; only Apple remains.
Earlier this year, WiLAN moved for summary judgment on invalidity claims. Apple also moved for summary judgment on invalidity and non-infringement defenses.
WiLAN said Wednesday that Judge Dana Sabraw, for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, issued a ruling granting Apple’s motion for summary judgment.
The company said it is “currently reviewing” the ruling with its trial counsel.
“The case remains before the courts and it is WiLAN’s policy to not provide commentary on cases that are before the courts,” it said in a statement.
WiLAN, founded in 1992, has licensed its intellectual property to more than 290 companies worldwide and has a portfolio of more than 3,000 issued or pending patents, according to its website.
The company said a separate case related to five LTE-related patents and involving Apple still remains in the Southern District of California.
Apple could not immediately be reached for comment on the ruling.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at patents@legalnewsline.com.