Irvine’s Broadcom Corp. stepped up its legal attack on Qualcomm Inc., moving beyond patent fights to an assault on Qualcomm’s way of doing business.
The company this week filed a lawsuit in state court in Santa Ana alleging San Diego-based Qualcomm violated California competition laws.
The suit does seek to bar Qualcomm from enforcing some patents. But it goes beyond prior litigation between the two focused on patents by charging Qualcomm with unfair business practices, discriminatory licensing and violation of industry standards by concealing its patents.
“We want to make sure there is a spotlight shined on all of their conduct,” said David Rossman, the company’s vice president of intellectual property.
Broadcom had hoped to bring up Qualcomm’s business practices as part of patent disputes recently settled between the two companies, Rossman said.
“Settling gave birth to this lawsuit,” he said.
The suit seeks to strike at the heart of Qualcomm’s business of licensing wireless and other patents to phone makers, chipmakers and others.
“Their ability to license clearly is an important part of their business,” Rossman said.
Broadcom hopes to stop Qualcomm from enforcing patents on technology that’s been accepted as an industry standard.
The company is seeking compensation and damages in the suit.
Qualcomm and Broadcom recently settled several patent infringement claims. Next month, they’re set to go to trial in Santa Ana on another Broadcom suit against Qualcomm, alleging infringement of three Broadcom patents.
On May 8, the International Trade Commission is expected to come up with a penalty against Qualcomm after finding last fall that Qualcomm infringed five Broadcom patent claims.
