Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NOK) Expands Patent Fight v. HTC

Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) is apparently not a friend of HTC on Facebook, or anywhere else. To say there is no love lost between these two handset manufacturers would be an insult to lost love.  But the funny thing is, the animosity appears to be going in one direction, while the other side is just playing antagonist. It is almost as if this is a sibling rivalry, though one brother is Finnish an the other Taiwanese.

Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) is apparently making claims that HTC is trying to be an identical twin of Nokia, based on the several patent-infringement suits that Nokia has filed against HTC, claiming  that HTC is infringing on dozens (yes, that is plural) of patents long held by Nokia.

The latest salvo to be fired occurred this week, when Nokia filed a new lawsuit claiming that the HTC One as well as a stable of other HTC handsets, are infringing on three Nokia patents that address what  is call handset radio frequency identification that is used for applications. This new lawsuit is demanding damages and for HTC to stop the infringement in its handsets.

Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) also reported that it had filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission  about other infringements that involve six other patents. In that  environment, Nokia would be seeking a U.S. import ban on all HTC handsets that are found to be infringing.

All told, Nokia stated that it has now accused or is accusing HTC of infringing on 50 different patents across the several court cases that have been resolved, filed or are in the process. This whole thing started when Nokia filed suit against HTC last year in the U.S. and Germany.

For the most part, the German court has sided with Nokia, though HTC did win a couple of legal battles in that country in March. But when that ruling was handed down, Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) said it would continue pursuing cases  on 34 other patents – not counting the nine introduced in the motions this week, as we understand it.

Of course, HTC has limited comment at this point, saying only, “Upon receiving the official document, HTC is to consider all legal options to protect our rights.”

What are the rights that HTC has, which have been challenged before?