« Acacia's CEO Interviewed | Main | IDS Revision »

July 10, 2006

Vonage's Patent Woes & Weapon

Klausner Technologies slapped Vonage with its third patent infringement suit in less than a year, filing in the Eastern District of Texas for $180 million in damages, for 5,572,576, on Internet voicemail services technology. Separately, Vonage acquired counterclaim capability in its infringement suits from Verizon and Sprint, its other patent nemeses.

Klausner had approached Vonage in January. Having received no substantive reply, other than a February request for more time, Klausner decided on the courthouse rodeo. Klausner recently roped in AOL on a license.

Meanwhile, Vonage said today that it bought three patents from Digital Packet Licensing Inc. for an undisclosed sum. Vonage described the patents as relating to "compression of packetized digital signals commonly used in VOIP technology." According to the Wall Street Journal, "Vonage said the acquisition gives it control of pending patent litigation against Sprint Communications LP and Verizon, among others, that Digital Packet had filed in federal court. Vonage also takes over control of agreements that Digital Packet previously made with other companies."

Posted by Patent Hawk at July 10, 2006 2:48 PM | Litigation