SiriusXM Sued For Patent Infringement

Sirius XM Holdings is facing legal challenges related to patent infringement. Here are the notable instances:

Fraunhofer Lawsuit (2023): Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V. (Fraunhofer), a Germany-based research organization, filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Sirius XM Radio Inc. in a six-year-long legal battle.

The dispute centered around technology related to satellite communication networks. In 1998, WorldSpace International Network obtained an exclusive license from Fraunhofer for this technology, which was later sublicensed to a Sirius XM predecessor company.

Despite subsequent bankruptcy proceedings and agreements, Fraunhofer maintained that Sirius XM had infringed on its patents. However, the court ruled in favor of Sirius XM, citing equitable estoppel due to Fraunhofer’s five-year silence and related conduct.

Keystone Autonics Lawsuit (2007): Keystone Autonics, an Austin, Texas-based company, sued both Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio for alleged patent infringement. Keystone Autonics claimed that the radio companies used technology directly from patents it owned.

Fraunhofer Revival (2019): Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s patent infringement suit against Sirius XM Radio was revived in the Federal Circuit. The dispute centered on Sirius XM’s reliance on a possibly-defunct licensing agreement, which Fraunhofer argued infringed on its patents.