Ericsson launched patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung concerning technology that is essential to several telecommunications and networking standards. Ericsson said it took this action following nearly two years of negotiations which failed to reach an agreement. The complaint was filed in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, which is the district where Ericsson's US headquarters is located.
Ericsson said Samsung previously licensed Ericsson's patents in 2001 and renewed in 2007, but its license has now expired.
Ericsson noted that in 2011 alone, it invested SEK 32.6 b. (US$5.0 billion) in R&D. Its research has resulted in hundreds of patents related to GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, LTE and 802.11. The company has more than 30,000 patents worldwide.
