03/21/2008, 8:35am, EDT
Friday, March 21stPatent dispute may block Blu-ray, cellphones
A patent infringement claim may lead to blocks against importing both Blu-ray technology as well as cellphones and other storage, the US International Trade Commission said today. The potential impasse has its roots in a complaint by patent holder and Columbia University emeritus professor Gertrude Rothschild, who claims that bringing numerous foreign-made devices with short-wave lasers and LEDs violates her own claims to the technology in the US. Most companies affected by the dispute are those producing Blu-ray optical storage drives and involve chief backer Sony as well as LG, Pioneer, Samsung, and Sharp.
Toshiba is also implicated for the blue laser in its HD DVD players, though the end of the format reduces the impact of the complaint on its business.
However, the suit also implicates multiple cellphone makers and may complicate the sale of cellphones in the country. Motorola, Nokia, and Sony-Ericsson are directly implicated in the complaint, which may also affect LG and other firms that produce both handsets as well as HD video readers. Calls to restrict part suppliers, such as optical drive maker Lite-On, may also impact third-party computer and general electronics firms.
The ITC has not said when it expects to hold an evidence hearing regarding Rothschild's complaint but says it will set an end date for the investigatino within the next 45 days. A successful ban on importing the devices would take effect within 60 days of a ruling.
Filed under: industry
Other story tags: sony, Samsung, Nokia, blu-ray, Motorola, LG, Toshiba, Sharp, Sony-Ericsson, Pioneer
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The whole reason these rich politically radical activists are suing is to get more money to push their political agenda (so they don't have to spend their own money).
Do a google on the name and you'll find out which political party they are a radical member of—not that you have to think too hard to figure THAT out.
They could care less if they hurt people or the country, as long as they get massive funds (from somewhere other than their own pockets) to whoever is pushing their ideas on and against the majority.
—on the other hand... Sony is not my favorite company :)
You can attempt to compare dell attempts like these to the "originals," but they never measure up, even if you don't consider the OSX-Windoze gulf.
No, we all know that MacNN (electronista, whatev) puts up the inflamatory headlines like these to garner eyeballs. As far as a dell attempt, they seem to have put more effort into it this time 'round.