Google, Citrix, LGE Settle Voicemail Patent Disputes

The three companies have settled claims by Judah Klausner, founder of Klausner Technologies and widely regarded as the father of the PDA for his initial work in developing that technology.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Telekom has entered a patent license agreement with Klausner Technologies.

The patents involved were related to how devices automatically handle voicemail.

At least 21 companies have settled patent infringement claims from Klausner based on Klausner's Visual Voicemail technology, which allows users to select which voicemails to listen to from a list of possible voicemails.

Citrix on Tuesday said it has entered into a patent license agreement with Klausner Technologies for Citrix Visual Voicemail under the Klausner Visual Voicemail patents. The license covers the Citrix Voice Office suite's Visual Voicemail product for users of IP telephones, Citrix said in a statement.

Korean handset manufacturer LG Electronics on Tuesday said in a statement that it has entered into a worldwide patent license agreement with Klausner Technologies for LG Visual Voicemail handsets, and that the two companies have settled their outstanding patent litigation. The technology is used in such LG products as its new LG Versa cellular phone.

Reuters reported on Monday that Google has agreed to settle with Klausner for the Visual Voicemail technology. Google Android and Google's Grand Central Web-based phone services could be impacted by the settlement, Reuters reported.

Apple and Skype are among other companies who have also settled with Klausner, Reuters reported.

European telecommunications provider Deutsche Telekom said on Monday in a statement that it has entered into a patent license agreement with Klausner Technologies as part of the unveiling of its new T-Mobile visualized voicemail service at the CeBIT fair in Hannover, Germany.

Klausner has received numerous patents related to the handling of voicemails. One of them, patent number 5,572,576, was the basis of the lawsuit filed against Apple in 2007, according to Reuters.

The '576 patent describes a telephone-answering device that intelligently organizes voice messages, associated entered codes such as personal IDs and home telephone numbers, and information stored in the memory of the device. It also enables a user to access messages based on the identity of the caller without the need to listen to the actual voice messages.

Klausner in 1978 received his first patent for an electronic pocket dictionary, including a keyboard and memory for storing and retrieving telephone numbers, street addresses, appointments and agenda.

Klausner did not respond to a request for comment on the news.