Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE are trading blows in a patent dispute in Germany, with the former accusing the latter of infringing upon its LTE and terminal patents.

Although Germany’s Mannheim Court dismissed Huawei’s accusation that ZTE had infringed on its LTE terminal patents, it did rule that ZTE had infringed on Huawei’s ‘Key Derivation Function’ patent. A judgement ZTE will appeal to the higher court over.

“ZTE is confident that the ZTE product involved in the lawsuit launched by Huawei does not infringe Huawei’s patent rights,” the firm said in a statement. The court decision will not affect any ZTE business operations around the globe including in Germany, it added.

ZTE also stated that Huawei has launched several other patent lawsuits against it in Germany, France and Hungary. It has prepared technical solutions to all relevant patent lawsuits to ensure that customers are not affected in any way, ZTE said. It added that no lawsuit will affect ZTE’s business operations anywhere around the globe.

“In response to these and other court actions, ZTE has filed 18 patent lawsuits against Huawei in Europe and China, concerning a portfolio of LTE infrastructure, core network and terminals,” ZTE said. It added that the firm won a series of lawsuits in the China Shenzhen Intermediate Court and German Patent Courts in 2012.

“ZTE continues to pursue these lawsuits and will proactively coordinate with all parties to achieve a suitable settlement. In terms of the sale of products using unlicensed ZTE technologies, ZTE will take any legal means including sales bans and compensation to prevent infringements on ZTE’s patent rights and to protect the benefits of both the clients and the company.”