In what looks like it'll be yet another long and drawn out legal battle, Ottawa based IP specialist Wi-LAN has begun legal action against Apple, HTC and HP over what it considers the infringement of a number of its patents.

In all, Wi-LAN is suing nine firms in the US courts, alleging they infringe the company's wi-fi and LTE releated patents.

Revenue preservation

Details on just what Wi-LAN is after in the way of remuneration are scarce, though the company does say it's simply looking to protect its earnings.

"WiLAN is currently reliant on licensees paying royalties under existing licensing agreements and on the additional licensing of its patent portfolio to generate future revenues and increased cash flows," the fim says in its forward looking statement.

"The company needs to acquire or develop new patents to continue and grow its business."

And that's exactly what the firm is trying to do. MocoNews reports Wi-LAN is currently bidding for fellow Ottawa based firm Mosaid, which posesses 2,000 of Nokia's patents thanks to its buyout of Core Wireless Licensing.

Patent playground

In total, Mosaid now has 5,400 patents to hand, with its Nokia library specifically covering "technologies used in a wide range of mobile communications devices and services".

Pursuing firms on behalf of the Finnish giant, the company will also take a third of the revenues both Nokia and Microsoft generate from their patent portfolio following their strategic alignment.

WiLAN claims that, with such a large library of patents on its books, a unification with Mosaid would "bring two leading research, development and licensing businesses together in an effort to create a stronger, more valuable global licensing business."

[source: Wi-LAN]