In April 2001 RIM was granted U.S. Patent # 6,219,694, entitled System and method for pushing information from a host system to a
mobile data communication device having a shared electronic
address. The complete text of the patent is available at the FPF
website; to view the patent in PDF format visit
http://www.freeprotocols.org/usPatents/06219694.pdf.
The patent describes a method of directing e-mail to wireless devices, while maintaining mailbox synchronization with a desktop e-mail system. The described method is a basic element of the functioning of various existing mobile e-mail systems, including the BlackBerry system.
RIM has been quick to cash in on this patent. Less than a month after the patent was granted, RIM announced that it is suing Glenayre Electronics, Inc. for infringement against the patent. To view an article describing this patent assertion, visit http://www.totaltele.com/view.asp?ArticleID=40057&pub=tt&categoryid=625. The same article is also available on the FPF website at http://www.freeprotocols.org/rimBBPatentProblem/extNews2.html.