UTStarcom Inc. (Nasdaq: UTSI) has pulled a patent in its infringement lawsuit with wireless router startup Starent Networks Corp.

The origins of the spat stem from the acquisition of Commworks by UTStarcom in March last year (see UTStarcom Cops CommWorks). A number of Starent executives once worked at Commworks before establishing the startup, and UTStarcom claims that Starent has deployed technology based on patents once owned by the acquired business.

The dispute led UTStarcom to file a lawsuit against Starent earlier this year, claiming that its ST-16 Intelligent Mobile Gateway product infringes two UTStarcom patents. An "initial case management conference" was scheduled to be held on October 12 this year (see UTStarcom Battles Starent).

According to UTStarcom’s latest 10-Q quarterly report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), filed earlier this month, the case is now only focused on a single patent.

“The Court held an initial case management conference on November 2, 2004, and scheduled a hearing to construe the claims of the patent-in-suit for June 30, 2005,” adds the document. “At that time the Court will hold an additional case management conference to schedule a date for trial.”

UTStarcom was unavailable for immediate comment. Starent’s director of marketing, Andy Capener, could comment only that the startup “will vigorously defend” the lawsuit.

— Justin Springham, Senior Editor, Europe, Unstrung