WiLAN Hit with Another Loss in Apple Patent Fight

Patent holding company WiLAN took it on the chin yet again in its courtroom fight with Apple when a U.S. Federal Court Judge ruled on Wednesday that its LTE-related patent infringement claims were invalid. The ruling was part of a summary judgement Apple requested related to patents 8,315,640 and 8,311,040.

WiLAN loses another patent infringement case against AppleWiLAN loses another patent infringement case against Apple

WiLAN had filed a lawsuit against Apple, HTC, and Sierra Wireless over claims the three companies were infringing on patents it owns. HTC and Sierra Wireless chose to settle out of court, but Apple pushed forward with its claims that WiLAN's allegations weren't valid.

The Judge overseeing the case, Dana M. Sabraw, also denied WiLAN's request for summary judgement against Apple. "WiLAN is currently reviewing the ruling with trial counsel, McKool Smith," the company said in a statement.

This isn't WiLAN's first courtroom loss to Apple. The patent holder lost a case about a year ago when a Federal Jury found that Apple wasn't infringing on its CDMA and HSPA-related patents. Even worse for WiLAN was the fact that it lost the case in U.S. District Court in Eastern Texas, which is a court known for favoring patent trolls.

WiLAN also filed a lawsuit against Apple in 2010 claiming the iPhone and iPad maker was infringing on a Bluetooth-related patent.

The company could appeal Judge Sabraw's ruling, but hasn't said yet if it plans to do so.