Broadcom wins round over Qualcomm in patent litigation

In the Energizer Bunny of litigation (it keeps going and going and going), Broadcom won a round in its running battle with Qualcomm over EVDO chip patent issues when a federal district court ruled that Qualcomm violated an injunction to stop using Broadcom technology or pay royalties.

Qualcomm had been allowed to continue to sell "legacy" EVDO chips until Jan. 31, 2009 as long as Broadcom got a royalty. U.S. District Court Judge James Selma decided that Qualcomm violated that agreement and ordered the chipmaker to make a full accounting of royalties to be paid to Broadcom and to chip in another 10 percent for interest.

Qualcomm was also ordered to destroy the rest of its non-legacy EVDO chips or pay Broadcom the gross profits on the sales. No doubt the ruling will be appealed and the two companies will continue a war that may only end when carriers no longer use EVDO.

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