Sony Ericsson files a lawsuit against Clearwire over similar logo use

Sony Ericsson is suing Clearwire over copyright infringement on allegations the US WiMax operator copied the logo of the phone maker. The Sweden-based company and its U.S. counterpart filed suit on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, seeking Clearwire's profits along with damages and an order to stop the use of Clearwire's current logo.

Both companies use round green logos with swirling white or silver shapes inside. Formed as a joint venture between Sony and Ericsson in 2001 Sony Ericsson said to the court that it filed for a trademark on a version of its current logo as early as 2006 and has registered several iterations of the image with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Clearwire was formed in 2008 as a joint venture among Sprint Nextel, the former Clearwire wireless broadband carrier and other partners.

Sony Ericsson is most concerned about the future release of mobile phones by Clearwire with the characteristic logo. When a Clearwire handset finally goes on sale, that will put Clearwire directly in competition with Sony Ericsson, which says it has sold almost 32 million phones in the U.S.

Sony Ericsson's displeasure is nothing new to Clearwire, according to the complaint. Sony Ericsson said it has already challenged trademark applications by Clearwire for versions of its green logo, and that it held talks with Clearwire for several months last year that led to Clearwire discontinuing one version of its logo. But Clearwire's latest mark, introduced without a word of warning, apparently set off Sony Ericsson.