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On December 28, Sony, Japan's largest electronics exporter, brought seven cases of patent infringement to the International Trade Commission against rival cell phone manufacturer LG. Sony also filed a civil lawsuit against LG for their Blu-ray players around the same time. The ITC has no power to impose financial penalties, but they can prevent the import of devices that violate U.S. patents.
On February 4, LG fired back, claiming that Sony's Bravia televisions infringe on four of their patents, while Sony's Blu-ray players - including the PS3 - infringe on four more patents on their own. LG has also filed civil suits against Sony in California, seeking financial reparations for "unauthorized use of their inventions." Bottom line: if LG wins, Sony will either have to pay royalties to LG for each system or stop selling them in the U.S.
LG and Sony are the world's second- and third-largest TV makers, trailing Samsung. There's no knowing how this is going to end, but it would definitely suck to have no more PS3's in the U.S. because of a mere patent dispute. It makes one wonder, however... If Sony hadn't have filed the patent lawsuit against LG for their phones, would LG be fighting back right now?
source
this could get messy, but in the end they will both drop their lawsuits.
On February 4, LG fired back, claiming that Sony's Bravia televisions infringe on four of their patents, while Sony's Blu-ray players - including the PS3 - infringe on four more patents on their own. LG has also filed civil suits against Sony in California, seeking financial reparations for "unauthorized use of their inventions." Bottom line: if LG wins, Sony will either have to pay royalties to LG for each system or stop selling them in the U.S.
LG and Sony are the world's second- and third-largest TV makers, trailing Samsung. There's no knowing how this is going to end, but it would definitely suck to have no more PS3's in the U.S. because of a mere patent dispute. It makes one wonder, however... If Sony hadn't have filed the patent lawsuit against LG for their phones, would LG be fighting back right now?
source
this could get messy, but in the end they will both drop their lawsuits.
