The ruling is Document 591 in Motorola Solutions, Inc. v. Hytera Communications Corporation Ltd., No. 1:17-cv-01972 (N.D. Ill.). The 25-page memorandum opinion and order is dated September 28, 2026 and was first filed under seal. The public version, with redactions Hytera requested and Motorola did not oppose, was filed October 20, 2026. It decides one of several Hytera summary judgment motions, ECF No. 451, on the i-Series and H-Series products; the court said the others are addressed in separate orders.
Patents
Three Motorola patents were at issue in the motion: U.S. Patent 8,279,991 (claim 7), on synchronizing to a timeslot in a time division multiple access system; U.S. Patent 7,729,701 (claims 1 and 11), on accessing a de-keyed base station; and U.S. Patent 7,369,869 (claims 1 and 21), on scanning a TDMA channel. The patents concern two-way digital radio products. Motorola's "mixed-use" theory is that infringement occurs when customers pair the newer i-Series and H-Series devices with older Legacy products.
What the court decided
Withdrawn claims. Motorola conceded it does not accuse the i-Series of infringing the '991 patent and does not allege direct infringement of the '701 patent by the i-Series and H-Series. The court treated those concessions as withdrawals, deemed the amended complaint amended, and dismissed those claims with prejudice. A claim on the H-Series and the '991 patent had already been dismissed in a December 2025 opinion, so that part of the motion was denied as moot.
Induced infringement survives. On the '701 and '869 patents, the court found genuine disputes of material fact. It pointed to compliance with the Digital Mobile Radio standard and statements by Hytera representatives about compatibility, a seller's statement to customers that a user "does not need to update the system to swap in i-Series products," and sales data, calling the seller's statement and the sales data circumstantial but sufficient. It set aside online comments from self-identified users as unnecessary to its finding. For the '869 patent, it also pointed to Hytera advertising that the products are compatible with existing radios and to Hytera's manuals and dealer training on the scan function. It rejected Hytera's argument that the repeaters, not the radios, perform the claimed method, explaining that inducement under 35 U.S.C. 271(b) targets conduct.
Contributory and direct infringement fail. The court granted summary judgment on contributory infringement of both patents under 35 U.S.C. 271(c), holding that Motorola bore the burden to show the accused products lack substantial noninfringing uses and did not carry it: its expert's opinion on the point was conclusory, and its own argument that all DMR devices are compatible meant the radios can be used with non-Legacy, noninfringing equipment. The court also noted Motorola did not dispute Hytera's statement that it does not accuse i-Series and H-Series repeaters used with i-Series and H-Series radios. It also granted summary judgment on direct infringement of the '869 patent under 35 U.S.C. 271(a).
What happens next
The remaining summary judgment motions on non-infringement and on lost profit or price erosion damages, and Motorola's cross-motion for partial summary judgment, have been or will be addressed in separate orders, the court said.