Qualcomm has announced an agreement with Broadcom to dismiss with prejudice all claims and counterclaims associated with two patents belonging to Broadcom and two patents belonging to Qualcomm. The agreement results in the dismissal of San Diego Federal Court Case No. 05 CV 1662 involving Broadcom's claims for infringement of the two now-dismissed Broadcom patents and eliminates the need for a trial that had been scheduled to begin on 05 March, 2007. The agreement also includes the dismissal of infringement claims under two of Qualcomm’s patents in Case No. 05 CV 1392, also pending in federal court in San Diego.

The two dismissed Broadcom patents were among five that Broadcom initially asserted in complaints filed in May 2005 in the US International Trade Commission and in federal court in Orange County. Broadcom claimed that the two patents related to Bluetooth technology implemented in cell phones and cellular systems.

The two Qualcomm patents affected by the agreement were among five Qualcomm patents and four Broadcom patents remaining in a separate lawsuit filed in San Diego federal court in July 2005. Those patents had been divided among five separate jury trials scheduled to occur throughout 2007. The dismissal of the two Qualcomm patents and related claims and counterclaims will eliminate the need for one of those five trials.

Not all between the duo is now sweetness and light, though. The remaining patent infringement claims between the parties in federal courts in San Diego and Orange County are unaffected by the agreement.

And, earlier this month Qualcomm announced the appointment of former US Attorney Carol C. Lam to the position of senior vice president and legal counsel. Working with the CDMA pioneer’s existing legal team, Lam will help manage and direct the company's litigation worldwide. We bet she’s kept busy.
John Williamson