Why negotiate when you can litigate; that seems to be the message from BlackBerry maker RIM, who have taken Motorola for a trip to the courthouse over alleged patent infringements and “exorbitant fees”.  Apparently Motorola “is demanding exorbitant royalties…for patents that Motorola claims are essential to various standards for mobile wireless telecommunications and wireless computing that RIM practices”, including technology that allows mobile users to access WiFi.  Motorola retorted with accusations that RIM have violated several of their own patents in the BlackBerry 8000 series and BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

Not afraid to kick a rival when they’re down, RIM has accused Motorola of attempting to buoy its “declining fortunes” by dramatically increasing the royalties it charges other manufacturers.  Meanwhile the Motorola purse is apparently firmly shut, with claims that they are withholding payment – and in fact refusing to acknowledge - several items of intellectual property maintained by the BlackBerry maker.

The case was filed in Texas; no date for a hearing has been disclosed.