Opinion ID: 2757602
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Dell-Ericsson AB Agreement

Text: Dell argues on appeal that it has a license to practice the patents at issue based on its prior agreement with Ericsson AB. Ericsson AB is a Swedish manufacturing and development subsidiary of LM Ericsson. LM Ericsson is the Swedish parent corporation of Ericsson AB and owns the patents-in-suit. LM Ericsson and its North American subsidiary, Ericsson, Inc., are the two plaintiffsappellees in the suit. On February 13, 2008, Ericsson AB and Dell executed a Master Purchase Agreement (“MPA”), under which Ericsson AB would provide Dell with mobile broadband products for three years from the date of execution of the MPA. Ericsson AB is the only named “supplier” listed in the MPA, as well as the only signatory to the MPA aside from Dell. The MPA also separately defined Ericsson AB’s “Affiliates.” At issue in this appeal, Section 12.1 of the MPA, entitled “Dispute Resolution,” stated that “[s]upplier will not commence any lawsuit or seek any judicial order affecting Dell or add Dell as a party to any pending legal or administrative proceeding that is not directly related to Dell’s purchase of Products or that may prevent Dell from shipping any Dell or third-party products.” J.A. 6348 (emphasis added).