Lenovo has confirmed it is taking legal action against Asus over patent infringements relating to a mix of hardware, software, and connectivity.
In a public statement, the Hong Kong company confirmed the action was in response to Asus’s August 2023 filings in the Regional Court of Munich relating to cellular technologies. At the time, Lenovo offered a cross-licensing deal to Asus.
The amount for which Lenovo is suing Asus remains unconfirmed given the announcement’s proximity to the filing (November 15). TechRadar Pro has asked the United States International Trade Commission (ITC), Lenovo, and Asus for more information, but it’s likely too early for any of them to comment further.
Asus has infringed patents, says Lenovo
Lenovo boasts more than 28,000 patents and a further 14,000 applications pending, which it says is a testament to its commitment to innovation and creating industry ‘firsts’.
Meanwhile, Asus had 5,000 patents at the beginning of 2021, and nearly 6,000 by the end of 2022 – a substantially lower figure.
Lenovo’s Deputy General Counsel and Chief Intellectual Property Officer, John Mulgrew, commented: “We feel the time has come for us to assert our patent portfolio more actively – given its strength and our position and experience as both licensee and licensor – to achieve greater balance in licensing.”
Mulgrew added: “While litigation is always Lenovo’s last resort, we do believe we need to protect our intellectual property while continuing to encourage transparency in licensing to enable ongoing investment in innovation and to ensure that customers around the world can benefit from the proliferation of affordable technology.”
TechRadar Pro has asked Lenovo for more information regarding the patents that Asus has allegedly infringed. We also gave Asus an opportunity to comment on the action. Neither responded immediately.
The US International Trade Commission (USITC) declined to comment.
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