Unwired Planet, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp.

193 F. Supp. 3d 336, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77757, 2016 WL 3398409
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedJune 15, 2016
DocketCiv. No. 14-967-SLR
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 193 F. Supp. 3d 336 (Unwired Planet, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Unwired Planet, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp., 193 F. Supp. 3d 336, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77757, 2016 WL 3398409 (D. Del. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROBINSON, District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

This case presents a single focused issue of contract interpretation. At issue is the construction of Section 5.1.3 of a patent license agreement (the “License Agreement”) between plaintiff Unwired Planet, Inc. (“Unwired Planet”) and defendant Microsoft Corp. (“Microsoft”), dated September 30, 2011. In Section 5.1.3, Microsoft agreed to pay Unwired Planet $10 million upon notice that Unwired Planet had closed a “Qualifying Agreement,” as that term is defined in the License Agreement. Microsoft disputes whether, an agreement between Unwired Planet and Lenovo PC International Limited (“Lenovo”) satisfies the conditions of a “Qualifying Agreement” and, therefore, refuses to pay Unwired Planet the $10 million.

Currently before the court are cross-motions for summary judgment. (D.I. 93, 94) The court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). For the reasons discussed below, Unwired Planet’s motion for summary judgment is granted and Microsoft’s motion for summary judgment is denied.

II. BACKGROUND

A. The Parties

Unwired Planet is a technology licensing company founded in 1994 as Libris, Inc., and then later re-named Openwave Systems, Inc. (“Openwave”). (D.I. 95 at 4) It has developed technologies used in the mobile communications industry. (Id.) In 2012,-Openwave completed its transition to a licensing revenue model and changed its name to Unwired Planet. (Id.) Microsoft is one of the world’s largest technology companies. (Id. at 5) It develops, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products, services, and devices. (See SEC Form 10-K dated June 30, 2015 at p. 3)

In December 2010, before Openwave became Unwired Planet, it sent a letter to Microsoft asserting that Microsoft infringed certain Openwave patents. (D,I, 95 at 5) To resolve the issue, Microsoft choose to negotiate for a patent license. On September 30, 2011, Openwave and Microsoft exe[338]*338cuted the License Agreement. (D.I. 100 at 12)

B. Relevant Contract Provisions

The License Agreement provides for a cross-license wherein. Unwired Planet licensed the “Openwave Licensed Patents” to Microsoft, and Microsoft licensed fifteen of its patents to Unwired Planet. (Id, at 4) “Openwave Licensed Patents” is defined as all the patents and patent applications that Unwired Planet owned as of the effective date of the License Agreement (i.e., September 30, ‘ 2011). (Id.) Any patents Unwired Planet acquired or developed after the effective date are not included in the definition of “Openwave Licensed Patents.” (D.I. 101, Ex. 1 § 1.8)

In exchange for the license of the Open-wave Licensed Patents, Microsoft agreed to pay in cash $15 million. (Id. at § 5.1.1). Microsoft also agreed to pay $10 million if Unwired Planet later closed a “Qualifying Agreement” with an unaffiliated third-party. (Id. at § 5.1.3) Section 5.1.3 sets forth the promise of payment and conditions for a “Qualifying Agreement.” Specifically, it states:

5.1.3 Qualifying Agreement License Fee. If Openwave closes a Qualifying Agreement, Microsoft shall make a nonrefundable payment of Ten Million US dollars ($10,000,000.00 US) within thirty (30) calendar days of the date on which Microsoft receives from Openwave written notice (referencing this Section 5.1.2)1 that Openwave has closed such a Qualifying Agreement.
As used in this Section 6.1.[3], a “Qualifying Agreement” means a non-exclusive and non-sublicensable patent license with an unaffiliated operating company under the Openwave Licensed Patents (i) that is executed within three (3) years of the Effective Date, and (ii) for which Openwave receives a payment of at least Twenty-Five Million US dollars ($25,-000,000.00 US).
For the avoidance of doubt, (1) Microsoft will make no payment to Openwave under this Section 5.1.[3] if Openwave does not close a Qualifying Agreement, and (2) a Qualifying Agreement does not include any patent license with an entity, such as- RPX Corporation, Intellectual Ventures or similar entities, that aquire [sic] patent rights for the purpose of granting releases, sublicenses, covenants or immunities from suit to third.parties.

(Id. at § 5.1.3)

Section 5,1.3 contains several conditions for a “Qualifying Agreement” that are not in dispute. The undisputed conditions are: (i) Unwired Planet executes a non-exclusive, non-sublicensable patent license; (ii) the counter-party to the patent license is an unaffiliated operating company; (iii) the patent license is executed within 3 years of the effective date; and (iv) Unwired Planet receives a payment of at least $25 million dollars..

The parties dispute the purpose of the Qualifying Agreement provision. Microsoft claims the provision provided market validation of the purported value of the Open-wave Licensed Patents. (D.I. 95 at 12) Unwired Planet claims that if market validation was Microsoft’s intent, it was an unexpressed, subjective intent that Un-wired Planet did not share. (Id.) Unwired Planet thought the Qualifying Agreement provision was an incentive to license the Openwave Licensed Patents to other parties, including Microsoft’s competitors, so that Microsoft was not the only company having to pay this fee. (D.I. 104 at 6; D.I. 115 at 54-55) The License Agreement itself [339]*339is silent as to the purpose of the Qualifying Agreement provision.

Finally, the License Agreement contains an integration clause and choice of law clause. The integration clause states that the License Agreement “reflects the complete understanding of the parties regarding the subject of the Agreement, and supersedes all prior related negotiations.” (D.I. 101, Ex. 1 § 13) The choice of law clause provides that federal law governs matters arising under federal subject matter jurisdiction and Delaware law governs all other matters. (Id. at § 11)

C. Negotiating History

Although it is not relevant to construing an unambiguous contract, the parties provided some background on the negotiating history of the License Agreement. That history is recounted here for the sake of providing a full background of facts. From December 2010 through July 2011, the parties met and exchanged correspondence regarding a portfolio license. (D.I. 100 at 7) Then, between September 13, 2011 and September 30, 2011, the parties exchanged several drafts of the License Agreement. (D.I. 95 at 6-10)

In the first two drafts, Microsoft defined “Openwave Licensed Patents” to include both Unwired Planet’s then-owned patents and any patents that Unwired Planet developed or acquired after the effective date of the License Agreement. (D.I. 100 at 9) Each time, Unwired Planet rejected that definition, and proposed language stating that only those patents that Unwired Planet owned as of the effective date of the License Agreement would be included in the definition of Openwave Licensed Patents. (Id.; D.I. 95 at 7)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
193 F. Supp. 3d 336, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77757, 2016 WL 3398409, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/unwired-planet-inc-v-microsoft-corp-ded-2016.