Vringo Inc. (VRNG) filed a lawsuit against ZTE Corp.'s (ZTCOY,
0763.HK, 000063.SZ) U.K. unit for alleged infringement of its
patents for handsets, base stations and base station
controllers.
Representatives of ZTE weren't immediately available for
comment.
Vringo, a video-ringtone and intellectual-property firm, sent a
letter to ZTE in late September asking the Chinese
telecommunications company to review whether it needs to license
any of Vringo's recently acquired Nokia Corp. (NOK, NOK1V.HE)
patents, warning that it could take legal action.
"We believe that ZTE is aware that it requires licenses to all
patents that are essential to relevant standards," said David L.
Cohen, Vringo's head of licensing, litigation, and intellectual
property Monday. "Further, we believe that ZTE is familiar with
systems for declaring patents to standards-setting organizations
and the relevant intellectual property rights policies for those
organizations, having itself declared hundreds of patents to
international standards."
Vringo is seeking a declaration that its patents have been
infringed by ZTE's activities and that the U.K. High Court of
Justice use its injunctive power to stop ZTE's activities.
Vringo is also suing the search company AOL Inc. (AOL),
IAC/InterActiveCorp. (IACI) and others, alleging infringement of
two of its patents related to advertising placement in search
results. A trial is scheduled to start Oct. 16.
Meanwhile, ZTE has come under scrutiny from U.S. agencies,
including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, over allegedly
supplying equipment to Iran. ZTE said Monday that Cisco Systems
Inc. (CSCO) recently severed a strategic cooperation agreement amid
the U.S. allegations.
Write to Melodie Warner at melodie.warner@dowjones.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires