Motorola Sues Aruba Over Wireless Technology

Motorola Tuesday disclosed that it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit through two of its subsidiaries against wireless vendor Aruba Networks.

The suit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware by Motorola subsidiaries Symbol Technologies and Wireless Valley Communications.

In the suit, the companies allege that Aruba has infringed on at least four patents. Two relate to WLAN switching architecture and two relate to WLAN site planning and RF management, according to a statement from Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola.

The companies are seeking a permanent injunction against Aruba as well as monetary damages.

Aruba had not yet been served with the lawsuit, said Michael Tennefoss, head of strategic marketing. He declined further comment. It was unclear as of press time whether the lawsuit would have any impact on Aruba's plans to roll out several new products, including an 802.11n WLAN offering, on Sept. 10.

Andy Segal, president and CEO of Vandis, an Albertson, NY-based Aruba partner, said Aruba has been making strides in with WLAN market.

"I have no idea how [the lawsuit] will effect us or effect them, but Aruba has been making gains in the market place," Segal said. "Their technology is stable: It goes in, it works, it does what it's supposed to do. They've grown and stabilized their sales force."

Aruba, a publicly traded company since March, has also taken recent steps to expand its channel, inking distribution partnerships with Tarrytown, N.Y.-based Westcon Group in May and Avnet Technology Solutions, an operating group of Tempe, Ariz.-based Avnet, earlier this month.

--Updated at 3:09 PM Tuesday.

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