-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 IscDXfS3dXLgLooAScvob0XvuJCV1slfzPAqgOFINhQkECufDVgHzDY/UXWilimp
 kocqvuDbnfLVlVccyz2CdA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000354913-03-000054.txt : 20030520
<SEC-HEADER>0000354913-03-000054.hdr.sgml : 20030520
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030520171903
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000354913-03-000054
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030516
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030520

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COLSON JOSEPH S JR
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001061409

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-11152
		FILM NUMBER:		03713276

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		781 THIRD AVENUE
		CITY:			KING OF PRUSSIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19406

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		781 THIRD AVENUE
		CITY:			KING OF PRUSSIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19406

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000354913
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PATENT OWNERS & LESSORS [6794]
		IRS NUMBER:				231882087
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			PA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		781 THIRD AVE
		CITY:			KING OF PRUSSIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19406-1409
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6102787800

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		781 THIRD AVE
		STREET 2:		2200 RENAISANCE BLVD STE 105
		CITY:			KING OF PRUSSIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19406-1409

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	INTERNATIONAL MOBILE MACHINES CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-16</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000354913</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IDCC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001061409</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COLSON JOSEPH S JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Commons Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>18448</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>25.835</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>27275</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><no
nDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>32000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>25.835</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>27275</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (Right-to-Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.6875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate><value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>18448</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1998-06-18</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-06-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>18448</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (Right-to-Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.8125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>32000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-06-01</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-06-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>32000</value></underlying
SecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">A grant of options which vested as follows:  2,488 on 06/18/1998 and 16,000 on 06/03/1999.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Granted pursuant to InterDigital Communications Corporation 1997 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors.</footnote><footnote id="F3">A grant of options which vested in equal installments of 16,000 on each of 06/01/2000 and 06/03/2001.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Rebecca Bridgeford Opher, Attorney-In-Fact for Joseph S. Colson</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-20</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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