Research in Motion claims another patent win over NTP

Research in Motion has counted another victory as its long-running patent dispute with Virginia's NTP Inc. heads towards a Friday court date.

RIM, the maker of the popular BlackBerry wireless communication device, said Wednesday that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a final ruling rejecting one of five patents held by NTP.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office had previously issued preliminary rejections of all five of NTP's patents. RIM (TSX:RIM) said it expects the patent office will issue final rejections of all of NTP's patent claims.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge James Spencer is set to begin hearing arguments in a Virginia court on an injunction in the five-year-old patent infringement case.

If the judge grants the injunction, RIM's wireless services in the United States could be rendered inaccessible to all but BlackBerry users in government and emergency services.

NTP Inc. filed suit against RIM in 2001, accusing it of infringing on some of its patents. Last year, a $450 million US settlement deal fell apart, leaving the two companies heading for the courtroom showdown.

Shares of RIM dipped $1.10 to close $84 on the TSX.