Global Printer Industry Threatened by Old BlackBerry Patent

An old patent owned by BlackBerry is reportedly poised to disrupt the global printer industry. The patent, originally developed for smartphones, is now being used in a lawsuit against printer manufacturer Brother Industries, and could pave the way for similar claims against other companies.

The lawsuit was filed by Malikie Innovations and Key Patent Innovations. They accuse several Brother printers of infringing on four patents covering secure wireless communication technology, data encoding methods, and touch screen interfaces. Interestingly, these technologies stem from BlackBerry device developments.

The patents are now under Malikie’s control after BlackBerry transferred part of its intellectual property portfolio to Key Patent Innovations in 2023. Although BlackBerry is no longer dominant in the hardware business, its patent assets still hold significant commercial value.

If the allegations are proven in court, Brother could face substantial compensation claims, including possible additional penalties.

Moreover, the plaintiffs are requesting the court to issue a permanent injunction. If granted, Brother may be forced to redesign its products or even halt sales of certain printers.

This case is viewed as serious because it could establish a legal precedent that drags in other printer manufacturers, such as HP, Canon, and Epson. On the other hand, it also illustrates how intellectual property from diminished companies can still be leveraged as a revenue source through litigation.

Nevertheless, the matter is still in its early stages. To date, Brother has not issued an official response.

If it chooses to contest the lawsuit, the legal process is expected to be lengthy and costly, as summarised by KompasTekno from TechRadar.