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Bluetooth patent suit filed in the USA

By Anonymous
One news story to watch over the coming weeks is a patent suit filed in the U.S. District Court in Seattle.

The Washington Research Foundation administers patents relating to research done at the University of Washington. Just before Christmas the Foundation filed suit against Nokia, Samsung and Panasonic (Matsushita) saying that they had sold & imported infringing technology.

The companies involved all use Bluetooth chips from Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR). Lego also uses CSR Bluetooth chips in the Lego NXT. Lego is unlikely to be directly involved the court case at any point, (the number of Bluetooth devices it has sold are relatively small), but may be affected by the outcome.

Over 1 billion (1000 000 000) Bluetooth devices have been sold and CSR is considered to have over 50% of the market. Rival Bluetooth chipset maker Broadcom has reportedly licensed the Washington Research Foundation patents.


Happy New Year to all Lego NXT fans from Cambridge, UK.

- Tony N

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