A report today in Interfax says that Beijing Wang Dao Xin Tong Technology Development Co., Ltd has filed a law suit against Shanghai Siemens Mobile Telecommunication Co., Ltd., accusing Siemens of using the company's S9 Chinese language input software in Siemens CL55 model handsets without permission.

Yu Jinhua, Director of Bird's Enterprise Planning Department, explained during an interview with Interfax that this situation should be attributed to a minor mistake by Bird, and that Siemens was innocent of any wrong doing. Siemens' CL55 handset, which is also Bird's V58 handset, was the result of cooperation between Bird and Siemens last year. Bird has been responsible for all R&D and production work associated with the Siemens CL55 handset.

In its lawsuit, Beijing Wang Dao Xin Tong asks that Siemens cease the infringements and pay a compensation of CNY 6 mln (US$724,638) for the use of the company's Chinese language input software. Beijing Wang Dao Xin Tong is further asking that Siemens issue an official open apology. The Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court has already accepted the case and is expect to begin hearings in late July, according to Chinese newspaper Shanghai Youth Daily (Shanghai Qing Nian Bao). Siemens Mobile, however, claims to have not yet received any notification from the court.