For the fastest way to join Tom's Guide Club enter your email below.
We'll send you a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all the latest news.
By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or
over, have read our
Privacy Policy
and agree to the
Terms & Conditions . Geographical rules apply.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to
find out more information.
Join the Tom's Guide Club for quick access.
Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.
By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over,
have read our
Privacy Policy
and agree to the
Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.
IP company LVL Patent Group has filed nine patent infringement suits against a total of 120 defendants primarily in the wireless and communications industry.
LVL claims infringement on five different patents (6,044,382,5,805,676, 5,987,103, 8,019,060 and 7,334,024), which the company acquired from Cyberfone Technologies last week. Cyberfone was a Windows CE-based screenphone that was announced by Cyberfone and National Semiconductor at the Comdex Fall 1999 tradeshow. We are not aware that the Cyberfone was actually sold into the market.
All patents target digital communication features (a "data transaction assembly server", a "telephone/transaction entry device and system for entering transaction data into databases" (x3), as well as a "system for transmission of voice and data over the same communications line") that affect virtually all communications services. Among the sued companies are AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cricket, Virgin Mobile, US Cellular, MetroPCS, Tracfone, and Boost Mobile but also Apple, RIM, Nokia, Motorola, Sharp, HTC and other wireless handset manufacturers, as well as Best Buy, CNN, Cisco, Comcast, Time Warner, Google, Amazon, Nuance, Sony, Nintendo, FedEx, DHL, Avis Budget, Hyatt Hotels, United Airlines, American Airlines, DirecTV and Dish Network, among others.
Some companies are mentioned in more than just one patent infringement suit. It is interesting to note that Microsoft is not mentioned and we could not find Texas Instruments, which acquired National Semiconductor earlier this year.
LVL is asking for damages as well as supplemental damages in each suit.
Douglas Perry is an author and journalist from Portland, Oregon. His many articles have appeared in the likes of Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, The Oregonian, and several newspapers. He has covered topics including security, hardware, and cars, and has written five books. In his spare time, he enjoys watching The Sopranos.
