Fujitsu sues Tellabs over optical patents

Fujitsu has filed a lawsuit against Tellabs over four patents related to optical transport technology. Fujitsu claims that Tellabs 7100, 6300 and 5500 series of products infringe on the patents, three of which were registered in the mid-1990s.

This isn't a comment on the merit of this particular case, but as the VoIP patent cases against Vonage and other high-tech patent lawsuits have been settled in the last year, I've been wondering lately if technology companies are in a phase of rifling through their piles of patents to pursue cases they might otherwise have ignored before. What's causing them to now see these patents in a different light? Is it all about the money that recent cases might have been settled for, or is the filing of the lawsuit the final step in a delicate dance between companies who have been pointing the finger back and forth for several years? In any case, Congress has been working its way toward new patent reform legislation this week, so sue 'em if you got 'em.

For more:
- see this coverage in Light Reading

Related articles:
- Sprint Nextel this week filed four more VoIP patent lawsuits
- Sprint's action has upset the IP bloggers