Research In Motion said it has successfully trialed a software workaround solution it can implement to keep the BlackBerry system running if a District Court judge issues an injunction later this month in the NTP vs. RIM patent dispute. Analysts have been skeptical of such a solution, questioning the software's stability and whether it will actually circumvent NTP's patent claims. RIM, however, says it has been able to modify its BlackBerry message delivery system to work around the NTP patent claims and has received a legal opinion confirming that.
According to UBS Investment Research, RIM and NTP appear willing to settle, but they are at odds over the settlement amount (of course). With the workaround solution and the USPTO indicating that it will reject NTP's patent claims, RIM looks ready to go to court if it finds NTP's offers unreasonable.
For more about RIM's workaround software solution:
- check out this piece in the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)