Qualcomm slaps Broadcom with trade secret suit

Qualcomm has filed a new complaint against rival wireless firm Broadcom for alleged trade secret misappropriation and patent infringement.

The complaint, filed in a San Diego federal court, charges Broadcom with misappropriating trade secrets relating to Qualcomm's development and marketing of WCDMA base-band integrated circuit products and the multimedia capabilities of such products.

Qualcomm alleges that Broadcom used the misappropriated trade secrets to compete unfairly with Qualcomm for the sale of WCDMA chipsets.

The complaint also accuses Broadcom of infringing Qualcomm's US patent number 6,717,908 through its manufacture and sale of WCDMA and wireless local area network chipsets.

The legal action seeks monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Broadcom's continued use of Qualcomm's intellectual property.

The lawsuit is the third intellectual property infringement case brought by Qualcomm against Broadcom in the San Diego court. To date, Qualcomm has alleged infringement by Broadcom of 10 of its patents.

The first trial is scheduled to start in January 2007.