Research in Motion lost a patent infringement case against NTP and was order to pay monetary damages and to stop marketing their services in the United States. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Richmond, Va., ruled late Tuesday in the case brought against RIM. The court awarded NTP $53.7 million.
The court also granted an injunction preventing RIM from making, using, or offering to sell handhelds, services or software in the US. The injunction will remain in effect until the date of expiration of NTP's patents, the latest of which is May 20, 2012. The court then stayed that injunction, pending an appeal.
The two companies have been at battle since 2001, when NTP claimed that RIM infringed on its patents covering the use of radio frequency wireless communications in e-mail systems.
Because the judge stayed the injunction RIM is apparently safe for now. But if they lose the appeal it is evident that the penalty will be severe. No more RIM Blackberrys in the US. Stay Tuned.
