A few minutes ago, even as Judge James Spencer was holding a patent infringement hearing,BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion issued a statement that it has received a copy of a Final Office Action issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the "Patent Office") in the ex parte reexamination of NTP, Inc. Patent #5,436,960.

A total of five patents are being contested.

"This Final Office Action maintains the outright and complete rejection of all claims in the patent," RIM said.

"The final rejections were all based on multiple grounds, required unanimous agreement from a panel of 3 senior patent examiners and are expected to withstand all future appeals by NTP," RIM added.

According to RIM:

1) Patent #6,317,592 contains 6 of the 9 claims at issue in this case and all 6 claims were rejected in the Patent Office ruling disclosed by RIM on February 1, 2006.

2) Patent #6,067,451 contains 2 of the 9 claims at issue in this case and both claims were rejected in the Patent Office ruling disclosed by RIM on February 22, 2006.

3) Patent #5,436,960 contains the last of the 9 claims at issue in this case and that claim was rejected in the Patent Office ruling disclosed today.