Aussie Judge Declares Apple-Samsung Patent Battles "Ridiculous" 69
New submitter Ahab's compliments writes "Score another point for sensible judges — the judge in point wants to know why this dispute over the wireless technologies developed by Samsung and used by Apple shouldn't be settled through mediation. 'Why on earth are these proceedings going ahead?' Bennett asked the lawyers in court today. 'It's just ridiculous.' The judge also rejected a request to hear the various patent infringement claims from either side in separate cases."
Re:Misleading title (Score:5, Interesting)
Samsung tried to double dip on Standards Essential Patents.
Samsung disagree - they say that Qualcomm never even had a patent license - what they did have was a mutual "no-sue" contract which covered their customers, and that was terminated once their customer (Apple) sued Samsung. Given that Apple subsequently approached Samsung to licence these very patents, it would appear that Samsung's interpretation is correct, otherwise why would Apple bother?
Samsung counsel Neil Young today admitted that Qualcomm, which supplies chips to Apple, had an agreement with Samsung whereby the Korean tech giant would not sue Qualcomm or its customers for infringement on 3G patents. According to court documents, this agreement was first made back in 1993.
"There was an agreement between Samsung and Qualcomm. That agreement was not a licence agreement. It contains a contractual provision that Samsung would not sue Qualcomm or customers of Qualcomm who apply [the 3G patents]," Young said.
Samsung stated that this agreement was terminated in April 2011, with notice provided to Qualcomm, when Apple first filed proceedings against the Galaxy Tab in California.
Samsung sacrificed Qualcomm truce for Apple war [zdnet.com]