Last month we told you about Rockstar, which is a company formed by Apple, Microsoft, RIM, Sony, and Ericsson. They are using the patents won from the Nortel bid to attack Android manufacturers. Rockstar is essentially a patent troll with its only function being litigation. They filed a suit against Google and other Android manufacturers last month, but Google is fighting back in an attempt to not only protect themselves, but all of Android and the manufacturers.
Google's complaint, filed this past Monday, claims that Rockstar's patent campaign is attacking hundreds of tech companies and it has “placed a cloud on Google’s Android platform,” especially Nexus devices. Google also stated that Rockstar's CEO said that Facebook, LinkedIn and every other tech company is infringing on these old Nortel patents.
As to Nexus devices, Google asked the court to declare “the Nexus 5, Nexus 7, or Nexus 10 devices sold by Google directly or indirectly” don’t infringe seven patents that belong to Rockstar or to “MobileStar, ” which is another shell company ”formed for litigation one day before Rockstar filed its lawsuits against Google’s customers.”
I have said it before, and I will say it again…..our patent system needs a serious overhaul. At the same time, let's not forget that Google bid on these same patents, but I seriously doubt Google would have used these patents in this manner.
