U.S. ITC Rules Motorola Smartphones Infringe Ericsson Patents

By Blake Brittain

The U.S. International Trade Commission announced that smartphones made by Lenovo's Motorola Mobility infringe on patents owned by Ericsson, which could lead to a ban on their imports into the U.S.

An ITC judge issued an initial ruling stating that Motorola smartphones violate Ericsson's patent rights concerning 5G wireless technology, marking a preliminary win for the Sweden-based Ericsson in its patent licensing dispute with China-based Lenovo.

Representatives for both companies did not respond immediately to requests for comments regarding the decision.

The full commission is expected to deliver a final ruling on Ericsson’s claims in April. Previously, another ITC judge ruled in favor of Lenovo in a related case last month.

Ericsson lodged its complaint with the ITC last year, claiming that various Motorola models, specifically from the Moto G, Edge, and Razr lines, infringe on patents pertinent to wireless communications. Lenovo has refuted these allegations.

In addition to the U.S. dispute, the companies are engaged in patent lawsuits in South America, the United Kingdom, and North Carolina. Ericsson has secured preliminary court orders barring sales of Lenovo smartphones in Brazil and Colombia related to these infringement cases.

Moreover, a U.S. appeals court recently revived Lenovo's appeal for an injunction aimed at halting the enforcement of the South American bans.