US: Patent troll admits defeat in Apple spat

A Canada-based patent assertion entity, also known as a patent troll, announced this week that Apple has emerged victorious in a patent dispute between the two companies.

Wi-Lan said Apple won a request for a ruling by US District Judge Dana Sabraw on Thursday, who ruled that based on the facts of the case, Apple products do not infringe on two of Wi-Lan’s patents, as it had claimed.

Reports say despite Wi-Lan’s announcement, court documents could not immediately corroborate the claims.

Wi-Lan has engaged in legal battles with Apple for several years. About a year ago, the patent troll lost a jury trial against Apple in which it sought $248 million in royalties for patent infringement. Additional claims have been made in California, Florida and Texas for the last seven years, according to reports.

Apple has filed court documents in the past accusing Wi-Lan of asserting its patents in bad faith. The most recent ruling is yet another victory for Apple and puts an end to the case ahead of its scheduled trial date, which was set for next month.

Full content: Bloomberg

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