By Sven Grundberg Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES STOCKHOLM -(Dow Jones)- Nokia Corp. (NOK), the Finnish handset maker, said Wednesday the European Patent Office's decision to revoke a patent held by IPCom GmbH & Co., means sales of Nokia products in Germany won't be stopped. A German court earlier ruled that Nokia has infringed a patent belonging to German patents licensing company IPCom. The patent found invalid by the EPO, EP 1 841 268, concerns access to a mobile station in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, or UMTS, mobile network. "We are pleased that the European Patent Office has confirmed that this IPCom patent is invalid," said Paul Melin, head of Intellectual Property at Nokia. It added that of 62 IPCom patents that have come to judgment, none has been found valid as granted. "IPCom needs to recognize its position and end its unrealistic demands for what remains of this significantly diminished portfolio," Melin said. Friday's proceedings form part of a wider dispute between IPCom and Nokia that has been going on for a number of years. The patents held by IPCom were originally developed by the closely held German auto-parts supplier Robert Bosch GmbH for its mobile car telephone systems. Bosch sold the patents to IPCom in 2007. At 1224 GMT Nokia shares traded 1.9% higher at EUR2.78. -By Sven Grundberg, Dow Jones Newswires; +46-8-5451-3098; sven.grundberg@dowjones.com
