Nokia files Patent Exhaustion Case against Qualcomm in Europe

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) announced today that it has filed complaints against Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM) in Germany and the Netherlands requesting declarations that Qualcomm’s European patents are exhausted in respect of products placed on the European Union market with a Qualcomm license, in this instance chipsets supplied by TI. Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) and Qualcomm are publicly known to have entered into a so called Patent Portfolio License in 2000.

If Nokia’s claim succeeds, Qualcomm would be prevented in Europe from enforcing its respective patents in relation to Nokia handsets incorporating such chipsets.

The complaints were filed in the Regional Court of Mannheim, Germany and in the Hague District Court, Netherlands. Both courts have substantial experience in patent matters within the EU.