Patent troll targets ZTE

Chinese telecoms kit maker ZTE was hit with more bad news on Monday when intellectual property firm Vringo announced it was suing the firm’s UK subsidiary over patent infringement. Vringo, which claims it has an IP portfolio of over 500 patents and patent applications in the telecoms space, said it had asked ZTE in September …

[cyke1]

Well i wouldn't call them a patent troll, consider the Chinese companies are very well known to steal tech for their own use. Reason why most companies don't go after them is cause in Chinese court they will lose as the court will side with the home company even more so then jury did for apple against Samsung.

[Anonymous Coward]

To copy

To copy is part of the Chinese psyche, to produce and sell the copies part of Chinese business, to deny they do it is part of Chinese culture.

[Ashton Black]

If your company is nothing but a holding firm for patents and utilises none of them, I would suggest, it's a patent troll.

Not that I am calling Vringo that, but I can't be arsed to do the research.

[Giles Jones]

ARM uses none of its patents or designs. Would you call them a patent troll?

[Magnus Ramage]

ARM invented their IP, and continue to develop it. So no, I wouldn't call ARM a patent troll. Vringo and the like simply bought it, and appear to be doing nothing with it apart from sitting on it making money from other people's hard work. Which makes them pretty trolly.

[ukgnome]

We've been stealing from the Chinese for years, surely it's OK that they now steal back?

*I'm thinking fireworks, whisky, tartan as my top three steals

[Anonymous Coward]

Patent troll targets ZTE ..

"Vringo and Nokia have announced they have entered into a patent agreement. .. Back on July 19, Vringo completed its merger with Innovate/Protect, an intellectual property software company"

"Innovate/Protect investor Donald Stout, also the co-inventor and founder of NTP joins Vringo’s board as chair of its Intellectual Property Committee"

[streaky]

Huawei/ZTE...

Being put on a security naughty naughty list (which btw is a protectionist response, and has nothing to do with security) - is likely to bring the US govt to a clattering halt with the UK govt, because we use Huawei kit in spades. I don't know how this ends well. For me I'd say any money they were thinking about investing in the US - they're welcome to invest it here instead.

As for the patent thing - I hope these companies remember we have a serviceable patent system in Europe and that it might be worth fighting.

[Blip]

FRAND?

If these patents are required to be compliant with standards aren't they covered by FRAND?