On December 21, 2006, the Washington Research Foundation filed a lawsuit for patent infringement in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (Seattle).  The lawsuit is part of an ongoing, multi-year, licensing program relating to patents issued to Edwin Suominen based on research he conducted as a student at the University of Washington.  These patents and pending applications relate to inventions in the field of radio receiver technology and methods of tuning radio channels.  The patents have application in many areas, including those outside of the Bluetooth® wireless technology area.  However, they are also infringed by specific radio receiver systems and methods used by some (but not all) companies that make and sell products implementing Bluetooth® wireless technology.  Thus, WRF's lawsuit is not based on the Bluetooth® standard, per se, but instead, on specific radio receiver systems and methods adopted by at least CSR and Broadcom. 

As a result of the two-year licensing program, which included providing notice of the patents to many of the world's largest computer, printer, cell phone and accessory companies, Broadcom approached WRF in 2005, and successfully negotiated a license on behalf of itself and its customers.  Thus, wireless chipsets provided by Broadcom are licensed, and Broadcom's customers are authorized to import, sell and use its wireless products without infringing the patents. While there are non-infringing alternative designs, the fact that a company with the litigation record of Broadcom would approach WRF and negotiate a license for its customers under these patents is a significant indicator of their merit. 

WRF has stated many times, to the defendants in the lawsuit and  to CSR, that it prefers an amicable resolution to this issue.  The license with Broadcom demonstrates it is possible.  However, WRF believes strongly in and relies upon the patent system, which is central to its charter, and will vigorously enforce its patent rights.

WRF is a 25-year-old independent nonprofit foundation that captures and enhances the value of intellectual property arising from Washington state research institutions to support research and scholarship.

Washington Research Foundation
2815 Eastlake Avenue E. Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98102