It seems that the US patent system still leaves some room for companies
whose only purpose is to start lawsuits against global players for violating
almost-expiring lawsuits which could have once qualified for big cash time.
One of these is Steelhead Licensing LLC, a company just funded few days ago.

Not having a regular office, this letterbox-company has just filed 15 lawsuits against Apple and other mobile device manufacturers which use UMTS in their products.

We’re speaking of US patent 5’491’834 which is supposed to handle the connection handover in mobile networks when a signal strength reaches a specific treshold. What’s already used in GSM networks to allow cell phones to keep up phone calls without loosing the connection, is also used in UMTS and LTE networks. And exactly this is the target of Steelhead Licensing LLC.

Since practically all newer devices since 2007 use UMTS and since 2011 LTE is upcoming.

The list of the companies sued in Delaware has many known names on it:

• Apple Inc. – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00033)
• Deutsche Telekom AG – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00045)
• AT&T Inc. – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00034)
• Motorola Mobility LLC – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00039)
• HTC Corporation – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00035)
• LG Electronics Inc. – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00036)
• ZTE Corporation (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00047)
• Verizon Communications Inc. – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00046)
• Sprint Nextel Corporation – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00043)
• Sony Corporation – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00044)
• RIM Ltd. (Research in Motion) – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00042)
• NEC Casio Mobile Ltd. – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00040)
• MetroPCS Communications Inc. – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00038)
• Pantech Co. Ltd. – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00041)
• Kyocera Corporation – (Filed: January 4, 2013 as 1:2013cv00037)

They’re all sued for the same patent infringement. As the patent is running out on February, 13th 2013, there’s not much time left to claim any intellectual property on this patent anymore.

In Europe, a similar patent (EP0564512) has already expired after 20 years from the registration date. This occured in Janauary, 11th 2012. So Steelhead Licensing LLC has no legal base to sue the listed companies based upon the european patent.

So whatever comes, this will be an interesting story from the US patent system again and the fact that Stellhead Licensing LLC had to fork out 5250 US$ just for filing all these lawsuts at Delaware Court should put up the question: Do they have that much money and good attorneys to figt all these global players? Why has this company founded just fe days ago as a letterbox company and thus not representing any headquarter if they’re holding such “important” patents. Why did they leave time run out on the european patent?

My guess is just that they have bought any of these patents and now try to make the quick money. Nothing else. Was so, is so and ever will be! Time for the US patent office to reconsider their patent system anyways.

And last, but not least: Don’t feed the trolls!