Cellphone Patent Disputes Piling Up
More legal and financial maneuvers over mobile-device patents are looming this week, potentially complicating the plans of Google Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and other players in the fast-moving market.
In one important case, the International Trade Commission on Monday has scheduled a hearing to review Microsoft Corp.’s patent-infringement charges against Motorola Inc., which target smartphones running Google’s Android operating system. Google last week agreed to pay $12.5 billion for the mobile-phone business now called Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., largely to acquire patents that are seen as legal weapons against Microsoft, Apple Inc. and other Android rivals.
