Qualcomm successfully throws out $172m lawsuit
Semi-conductor company Qualcomm has successfully thrown out a $172 million patent infringement claim.
Judge Roy Dalton at the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida awarded $172 million to ParkerVision in October 2013, but reversed the decision last week.
Court documents filed in July 2011 alleged that the US-based semi-conductor infringed patents held by engineering company ParkerVision.
The patents cover systems used to down-convert electromagnetic scales in smartphone components.
Entering a motion for a judgment as a matter of law (JMOL) prior to court proceedings, Qualcomm claimed there was insufficient evidence that the patents were valid and therefore it could not have infringed any patents.
A JMOL is a motion by a party prior to the trial that the plaintiff is not able to demonstrate enough evidence for a public jury to convict.
Following the initial ruling, Dalton revived the JMOL and ordered a retrial, later reversing the original decision.
The court ruled that the patents were infact valid, but affirmed Qualcomm’s motion that ParkerVision did not demonstrate sufficient evidence that it infringed the patents.
Jeffry Parker, chief executive at ParkerVision, said: “While we are pleased that the court upheld the jury’s decision that the patents are valid, we are obviously disappointed with the District Court’s ruling that judgement be entered for Qualcomm on non-infringement.
“We will appeal this latest ruling on non-infringement,” he added.
Qualcomm did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
