Patent infringement suit filed against Tesla over cellular connectivity in vehicles

Optis Wireless Technology, LLC has filed a patent infringement suit against Tesla Inc. in the Eastern District of Texas in the United States (US) alleging that defendant Tesla has infringed the asserted patents by using cellular connectivity in its vehicles.

The plaintiffs asserted that Tesla did not have license to use its technology which were patented and which are necessary to practice the 3GPP LTE cellular technical specification.

The plaintiffs also stated that although they tried to sign a licensing agreement with Tesla, but were unsuccessful in doing so. The plaintiffs claimed that the cellular technologies 3rd Generation Partnership Project ('3GPP') has enabled companies, including Tesla with no history in the wireless communication development, to sell products such as electrical vehicles equipped with integrated cellular connectivity. The 3GPP "produces technical specifications that define cellular technologies."

According to the complaint, Tesla directly and indirectly infringed the patents-in-suit through its "connected vehicles that communicate over the 4G/LTE cellular network standard that practices the technology covered by" the asserted patents.

Optis Wireless has categorically stated that Tesla has made use of the infringing products in all of Tesla's automobiles without limitation, that are configure to communicate over the 4G/LTE cellular network.

The plaintiffs have also alleged that "these models include 3GPP LTE-practicing baseband processor" and "RF transceiver, antennas, CPU, RF power amplifiers, user graphical interfaces, and other software and hardware. All these components combine together to enable the Tesla vehicles, Tesla, and the users of those vehicles to conduct LTE communications by practicing the 3GPP LTE standards."

Optis Wireless has sought declaratory relief, an award for damages, pre and post judgment interest, and other relief.