Wi-LAN expands Wi-Fi litigation net

Serial litigant Wi-LAN is suing RIM, Motorola and UTStarCom for breaches of the company's various wireless networking patents, and is asking for triple damages for wilful infringement.

Wi-LAN doesn't spend all its time suing companies for making Wi-Fi kit, even if it sometimes appears that way. The company also researches and patents Wi-Fi technologies and is being prominent in various standard bodies.

It is however one of the few companies that has a "litigation update" heading on its home page.

This time it's patents covering OFDM techniques and "Multicode Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum", both of which are also cited in the action against Apple, Acer, Broadcom, Toshiba, Sony and half a dozen others which was launched in November last year.

Just like those companies, RIM, Motorola and UTStarCom will have to shuttle down to Texas where the case has been filed. ®