TIMELINE: Qualcomm, Nokia patents battle

(Reuters) - Nokia (NOK1V.HE) and Qualcomm QCOMM.O agreed to look for ways in which a U.S. court in Delaware could solve some wider, international issues in the major legal battle between the two technology heavyweights.

Here is a chronology of the dispute:

Oct 2005 -- Nokia and five other firms file complaints with the European Commission alleging anti-competitive conduct by Qualcomm, including high royalty rates. In Oct 2007 EU opened antitrust proceedings in the case.

Nov 2005 -- Qualcomm files a suit against Nokia in a federal court in San Diego related to GSM patents. The case is on hold.

May 2006 -- Qualcomm files a lawsuit against Nokia in Britain over two GSM-related patents. A ruling is seen this month.

June 2006 -- Qualcomm files a complaint against Nokia with the ITC regarding GSM patents, seeking a bar on imports of Nokia GSM handsets into the United States. In December 2007 administrative law judge determined Nokia had not infringed patents.

Aug 2006 -- Qualcomm files a patent infringement lawsuit against Nokia in Germany.

Aug 2006 -- Nokia files the case in Delaware saying Qualcomm had breached its contract to license patents on fair and reasonable terms.

Oct 2006 -- Qualcomm files infringement lawsuits against Nokia in France and Italy regarding GSM technologies.

Feb, 2007 -- Qualcomm files three complaints in China regarding GSM patents.

March, 2007 -- Nokia files complaints against Qualcomm patents in Germany and the Netherlands. Both courts dropped the cases last year.

April 2, 2007 -- Qualcomm files two cases against Nokia in the United States over Nokia GSM cellular phones. Nokia filed a counter-suit in Wisconsin in May and in Texas in June.

April 5, 2007 -- Qualcomm asks American Arbitration Association to rule that Nokia's use of its patents after April 9 would mean Nokia extended a key cross-license agreement at old royalty rates. Arbitrators have been chosen.

April 9, 2007 -- The cross-license agreement expires in part. The firms say they continued to negotiate on a new deal.

May, 2007 -- Nokia says it filed in a Wisconsin court its first counter-suit against Qualcomm relating to six Nokia implementation patents. The case is on hold.

June, 2007 -- Nokia filed a similar case in Texas.

Aug 16, 2007 -- Nokia asks the ITC to bar the import of some Qualcomm's chips, and phones using those chips, to the United States as they infringe five Nokia patents. The case was terminated in November 2007.

Sources: Nokia, Qualcomm Web sites

(Reporting by Tarmo Virki and Sami Torma)