(Associated Press via NewsEdge) A judge has halted legal proceedings in one of Qualcomm's complaints that Nokia violated its wireless-technology patents.
The move came as a deadline neared for the two companies to renew a high-stakes licensing agreement.
Administrative Law Judge Robert L. Barton Jr. of the US International Trade Commission gave no explanation for the indefinite delay in his two-sentence written order.
A trial in the patent dispute had been scheduled to begin March 5. The delay came six weeks before a key licensing agreement expires between Nokia, the world's largest cell phone maker, and Qualcomm, a semiconductor maker that has been enormously successful at licensing its technology.
Neither company indicated that the delay signaled a possible settlement of any of their numerous legal and trade complaints or progress toward renewal of their licensing agreement, which expires April 9.
Bill Davidson, Qualcomm VP of global marketing and investor relations, speculated that the complexity of the case may have prompted the delay.
'At this point, I don't think there's anything positive or negative to read into it,' Davidson said. Martin Zoltick, a Washington, DC, attorney who is not involved in the dispute but handles cases before the commission, said a judge typically orders a delay when a settlement is near.
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