FRANKFURT, Feb 6 (Reuters) - A German court has ordered French carmaker Renault to halt the sale of its Megane and Clio models in a dispute over patent rights with U.S. technology group Broadcom,
Renault Plans to Challenge German Court Ruling Against Broadcom
Renault's Legal Response to Patent Ruling
FRANKFURT, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Renault said on Friday it will appeal a decision by a German court that ruled in favour of U.S. technology group Broadcom in a patent rights dispute and requested a halt to sales of two of the car maker's best-selling models.
Details of the Court Ruling
The ruling by a regional court in Munich found that Renault does not have the licence to use certain ethernet network cable connections in its Megane and Clio models.
Renault's Next Steps
"We vigorously contest it and we will file an appeal without delay," said Renault in a statement.
Potential Impact on Sales
It added that the injunction on sales in Germany will only become effective once certain conditions have been met by Broadcom.
Renault has also initiated two legal actions for the invalidation of the disputed patent, it said, adding that it believed it had solid grounds to do so.
Neither Broadcom nor the Munich court immediately responded to a request for comment.
Business magazine WirtschaftsWoche earlier reported that the verdict would not come into force unless Broadcom pays a deposit worth "several millions" of euros and that Renault could also suspend enforcement by lodging an appeal or seeking a settlement.
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt and Kirsti Knolle in Berlin, additional reporting by Dominique Patton in Paris and Inti Landauro Editing by Miranda Murray and Louise Heavens)
