Bittersweet outcome for both Nokia and Amazon Prime in Düsseldorf

Amazon and Nokia are fighting over multiple streaming technology patents. The dispute at the Regional Court Düsseldorf concerned EP 2 271 048 B1 and EP 2 130 150 B1.

EP 048 protects a method for provisioning a multimedia service to display additional information, for example about actors, in parallel to streaming a video. EP 150 covers systems, methods, devices and computer program products for arranging a user’s media files. This technology is used, for example, to recommend other content that may be of interest to users of a streaming service.

The 4c Chamber of the Regional Court Düsseldorf has now found EP 048 infringed (case ID: 4c O 49/23). The panel included Sabine Wimmers and Stephan Janich and presiding judge Sabine Klepsch. The judges ordered Amazon to cease and desist from using the infringing technology in their video software and devices. They also ordered Amazon to provide information concerning the use since 1 January 2023. Furthermore, the court ruled Amazon must compensate the plaintiff for the damages incurred and to be incurred as a result of the infringement.

In order to enforce the ruling, Nokia must provide a security of €646.75 million.

However, in the case of EP 150, the court dismissed the infringement claim (case ID 4c O 50/23).

Nokia filed several lawsuits against Amazon in autumn 2023 for the unauthorised use of Nokia’s video-related technologies in its services and devices. The lawsuits focus on the Amazon Prime Video service and Amazon’s streaming devices. In Europe, Nokia has filed lawsuits in Germany, the UK, and with the UPC. In a ruling of September 2024, the Munich Regional court found that Amazon infringed one of Nokia’s patents.

JUVE Patent does not yet know if the parties will appeal today’s judgment. Parallel to the infringement proceedings, nullity actions against the two patents are pending at the German Federal Patent Court. In addition, Nokia has filed lawsuits in the US and India.

Fighting on many fronts

In the parallel proceedings at the UPC, the parties are disputing EP 2 661 892, covering motion prediction in video coding (case ID: UPC_CoA_835/2024). Nokia filed its first lawsuit at the court with the Munich local division.

The Finnish company has also sued Amazon at the UK High Court over three patents. In Germany, Amazon is facing one lawsuit each at the Mannheim and Munich regional courts in addition to the two lawsuits at Düsseldorf Regional Court.

Nokia’s patents, some of which the patent holder considers SEPs, protect technologies for video compression, content delivery, content recommendation and aspects relating to hardware. They are relevant for video streaming, video coding and cloud computing.

Arnold Ruess for Nokia

Nokia turned to its regular advisors from Düsseldorf IP boutique Arnold Ruess, led by founding partner Bernhard Arnold and including partners Cordula Schumacher and Arno Riße. The team also included counsel Jan Wergin, Tim Smentkowski, and associates Sophia Zeng, Anja Penners, Felix Kötterheinrich and Felix Beck.

The representatives are also conducting the proceedings before the UPC.

Arnold Ruess is one of the Finnish tech company’s go-to law firms when it comes to litigation in Germany. The litigators are also representing the client in parallel proceedings against HP before Munich Regional Court and the UPC, which also involve technology related to video streaming. They are also acting for Nokia against Amazon regarding HEVC patents.

Partners and patent attorneys Christoph Walke, Matthias Waters, and Martin Rütten of IP firm Cohausz & Florack provided support in technical matters. The teams worked closely with Armin Schwitulla, senior litigation counsel and Huw Edwards, director head of litigation operations at Nokia.

Amazon turns to Hogan Lovells

Hogan Lovells is representing the defendant Amazon before the German courts as well as at the UPC. The international law firm’s IP team is also acting for the US company in several proceedings, including the HEVC technology case.

In the current case, Munich-based partners Steffen Steininger and Benjamin Schröer took the lead. Associates Nathaniel Kellerer, Fabian Langer and Teresa Sedelmaier assisted. The mixed team also included patent attorneys from the firm. Munich-based partner Andreas Schmid and associate Alexander Lebschy provided support in technical details.

A London team from Hogan Lovells is active in the UK High Court action.