Patent Infringement | "Microsoft posts $300 million bond in Motorola Mobility spat"

By : Don Reisinger 
Source : http://news.cnet.com
Category : Patent Infringement

Microsoft and Motorola Mobility are nearing two key decisions on patent infringement. But the software giant might have just played an important card to keep its products on store shelves.
Microsoft yesterday filed in U.S. District Court a motion to get a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Motorola Mobility in order to try to prevent Motorola from getting Microsoft's products banned from use in Germany until a U.S. court also rules on the matter. To make it right, Microsoft says that it will offer up a $300 million bond to guarantee any lost revenue Motorola might incur by allowing the software company's products to remain available.
FOSS Patents' Florian Mueller was first to report on this story.
The issue is a complicated one that includes the U.S. District Court in Washington state and another court in Mannheim, Germany. Motorola is suing Microsoft, arguing that the latter infringes its video standard H.264 patents in Windows 7, the Xbox 360, and Internet Explorer. According to Mueller, the German court is expected to rule on the issue on April 17 and is likely to side with Motorola. Back in the U.S., Microsoft has found an opening, thanks to Judge James L. Robart saying earlier this month that Microsoft could stop Motorola from banning its products, as long as it posted a bond. A hearing on the matter will be held April 20, according to Mueller.
Motorola's H.264 patents are "essential," meaning they are governed by Europe's FRAND (fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory) terms. Companies that hold FRAND patents are expected to make licensing terms fair and reasonable to companies that need them. For its part, Microsoft says that Motorola isn't offering its patents on a FRAND basis.
"In legal proceedings on both sides of the Atlantic, Motorola is demanding that Microsoft take its products off the market, or else remove their standards-based ability to play video and connect wirelessly," Microsoft deputy general counsel Dave Heiner wrote in a blog post last month. "The only basis for these actions is that these products implement industry standards, on which Motorola claims patents. Yet when the industry adopted these standards, we all were counting on Motorola and every contributor to live up to their promises."
Heiner added the Microsoft currently uses 50 of Motorola's H.264 patents and must pay the company $22.50 in royalties for each $1,000 laptop. Heiner also said that his company licenses 2,300 H.264 patents from 29 other companies, and pays just 2 cents for those for every $1,000 laptop.
For its part, Motorola has said time and again that it wants to license patents with any and all companies that come along, and views litigation as a final option. In a similar case with Apple over essential patents, Motorola said that it was left "with no option other than to seek to enforce the company's rights and patent portfolio."
Both the German court and U.S. court are expected to rule on the cases between Motorola and Microsoft next month. After that, though, don't expect the fight to be over. If history is our guide, these fights don't end quickly and usually come with a host of appeals.
Neither Microsoft nor Motorola Mobility immediately responded to CNET's request for comment.


Source : http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-57406314-17/microsoft-posts-$300-million-bond-in-motorola-mobility-spat/

Patent Infringement | "Applying New Inequitable Conduct Standard, Alsup Again Knocks Out Patent Claim"

By : Ginny LaRoe
Source : http://www.law.com
Category : Patent Infringement

An in-house lawyer's deception killed a patent infringement suit by Abbott Laboratories four years ago. And that lawyer's conduct continues to be the downfall of the suit under a new standard recently set forth by the Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup on Tuesday — revisiting the suit on remand — again sided against Abbott in its claims that other companies infringed on its patent pertaining to diabetic testing strips. As he did in 2008 at a bench trial, Alsup found the former Abbott lawyer's inequitable conduct — withholding certain information from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office — rendered the patent invalid.

Alsup's order in Therasense v. Becton, 04-02123, marks one of the first interpretations of the Federal Circuit's ruling, which made it tougher for accused infringers to cite inequitable conduct as a defense.

The Federal Circuit took up the Abbott case en banc to address what it saw as an overuse of the inequitable conduct defense. In a split ruling authored by Chief Judge Randall Rader, the circuit overruled precedent by holding that a weak showing of intent could no longer be offset by a strong showing of materiality. The accused infringer, it said, must meet a so-called "but-for materiality" standard. That means in assessing the materiality of information withheld from the U.S. PTO, district courts must decide whether the patent office would have allowed the claim to the patent if it had been aware of the withheld information.

Alsup said his analysis under the new standard led him to the same conclusion: The patent was procured through inequitable conduct.

"No judge takes any satisfaction in finding fault in the conduct of a professional," Alsup wrote in reference to former Abbott in-house lawyer Lawrence Pope and a researcher who worked on the patent. "That is certainly true here."

The ruling marked a complete defense victory for New York Ropes & Gray IP partners Bradford Badke and Sona De, who represent accused infringers Becton, Dickinson & Co. and Nova Biomedical Corp. in the suit, filed in 2004.

Munger, Tolles & Olsen lawyers in San Francisco and Los Angeles represent Abbott.

Source : http://www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1202547359176&Applying_New_Inequitable_Conduct_Standard_Alsup_Again_Knocks_Out_Patent_Claim

Patent Infringement | "OTI sues T-Mobile for patent infringement"

By : CIOL
Source : http://news.ciol.com
Category : Patent Infringement

NEW YORK, USA: Payment technology company On Track Innovations Ltd said on Tuesday it filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States against mobile service provider T-Mobile USA related to mobile payments technology.

On Track Innovations (OTI) said in a statement that T-Mobile's Near Field Communication-enabled (NFC) phones infringed one of the company's patents. A spokesman for T-Mobile USA was not immediately available for comment.

NFC is an emerging technology being added to cellphones as the mobile industry hopes to encourage consumers to use their cellphones for payments instead of plastic cards. The idea is that consumers can wave their NFC phone at the check-out terminal to pay.

OTI, an Israeli company, provides technology to MasterCard and Visa for contactless cards. It said that the infringed patent also covers loyalty programs and data mining.

T-Mobile USA, the No. 4 U.S. mobile service, and a unit of Deutsche Telekom, is also a partner in Isis - a mobile payments venture with the top two U.S. mobile operators Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc.

Sprint Nextel, the No. 3 U.S. mobile provider has teamed with Google Inc to offer NFC-based mobile payments services competing with Isis.

Shares in OTI rose 12 cents, or 8.2 per cent, to $1.58 in morning trade on Nasdaq. It filed the suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Source : http://news.ciol.com/Global-News/News-Reports/OTI-sues-T-Mobile-for-patent-infringement/161809/0/

Patent Infringement | "Samsung, 5 Others Sued for Graphics Patent Violation"

By : The Chosunilbo
Source : http://english.chosun.com
Category : Patent Infringement

Smartphone makers Samsung, Apple, LG, Sony, HTC and Research in Motion are being sued by a computer company for patent infringement.

Wire agencies on Wednesday reported that Graphics Properties Holdings filed a complaint against the big firms with the U.S. International Trade Commission, saying they violated its patent for a computer graphics process that turns text and images into pixels to be displayed on screens.

Graphics Properties is the successor to Silicon Graphics, a computer maker that went bankrupt in 2009.

If the ITC accepts the complaint, most electronics gadgets that feature the process could be subject to lawsuits in the future.

Apple, Samsung and the other firms deny they infringed on Graphics Properties' patent, saying it suffers from technical defects.

Source : http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/03/29/2012032901170.html

Patent Infringement | "Graphic Properties Sues Apple, Five Others For Patent Infringement - Update"

By: RTT Nwes
Category: Patent Infringement 


(RTTNews) - Graphic Properties Holdings Inc. Tuesday filed separate lawsuits against Apple Inc. (AAPL: News ) and five other companies alleging that their mobile phones and other devices infringe one of its key patents. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

Apart from Apple, other defendants in the lawsuit include Sony Corp. (SNE: News ), Research in Motion (RIMM, RIM.TO), Samsung Electronics Co.(SSNLF.PK, SSNNF.PK), HTC Corp., and LG Electronics Inc.

According to Graphic Properties, the patent in dispute pertains to a technology for a display system for smartphones. The concerned technology was patented in January 2011 and is called "Display System Having Floating Point Rasterization and Floating PointFramebuffering." The patent relates to a computer graphics process that turns text and images into pixels to be displayed on screens.

In the lawsuits, Graphic Properties named the following devices as infringing upon that patent: Apple iPhone, Research in Motion Torch, Sony Xperia Play smartphones, Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy S II, and the HTC EVO4G, LG Thrill.

Graphics Properties said it will suffer immense harm unless the infringements are halted. It said the Defendants' conduct could results in loss of its lawful patent rights to exclude others from using its inventions.

Further, in the lawsuits, Graphic Properties said that the Defendants' disregard for its property rights threatens its relationships with existing licensees and potential licensees of its consumer electronics and display device patents.

In the lawsuit, Graphic Properties also seeks reasonable royalties and other damages as compensation.

Graphic Properties Holdings Inc. manages the Patent portfolio and intellectual property rights of Silicon Graphics Inc, which went bankrupt in 2009. The company is now owned by private funds and institutional investors. Graphic Properties still licenses intellectual property used in the graphics, computer processing and display segments.

AAPL closed Tuesday on the Nasdaq at $614.48, up $7.50 or 1.24%, on a volume of 21.7 million shares.

RIMM closed at $13.89, down $0.15 or 1.07%, on a volume of 14.5 million shares.

Source: http://www.rttnews.com/1849111/graphic-properties-sues-apple-five-others-for-patent-infringement-update.aspx?type=bn&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=sitemap

Patent Infringement | "Is Getting Sued For Patent Infringement The Equivalent Of Frat Hazing For A Growing Tech Company?"

By : Mike Masnick
Source : http://www.techdirt.com
Category : Patent Infringement

Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda's first column in his new job at the Washington Post (I'm still trying to make sense of this myself) is a good one. He looks at the Yahoo patent lawsuit against Facebook, and posits that getting sued on your way to an IPO is like a Silicon Valley fraternity hazing ritual. He doesn't go quite this far, but there certainly are some similarities. It's an insanely pointless process with significant costs, often disgusting to those going through it... but which they eventually grudgingly admit is worth going through to get to the end goal of being "in the club." I'm not sure it's totally true of just IPO-bound tech companies. I think it's just the nature of just about any semi-successful tech company these days. You get sued for patent infringement. It's just what happens. And it's there where the analogy falls down a bit. You can avoid fraternity hazing by not pledging a fraternity. You have no such choice when it comes to getting sued for patent infringement.

Source : http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120324/00303618231/is-getting-sued-patent-infringement-equivalent-frat-hazing-growing-tech-company.shtml

Patent Infringement | "General Patent Corporation Settles Patent Lawsuit with Smartrac Technology"

By : Red Orbit
Source : http://www.redorbit.com
Category : Patent Infringement

General Patent Corporation’s subsidiary, Leighton Technologies LLC, settled a patent lawsuit with Smartrac Technology, with Smartrac taking a license for Leighton’s portfolio of “Contactless Cards” patents.

Suffern, NY (PRWEB) March 24, 2012

General Patent Corporation (GPC), a leading patent licensing and enforcement firm, announced today on behalf of its subsidiary, Leighton Technologies LLC (Leighton), that it settled a patent infringement lawsuit with Smartrac Technology Ltd. of Ayutthaya, Thailand, and its U.S. affiliate, Smartrac Technology US, Inc. of Chanhassen, Minn. (Smartrac). Under the settlement agreement, Leighton Technologies has licensed its portfolio of six “Contactless Cards” patents to Smartrac.

The settlement with Smartrac Technology Ltd. and Smartrac Technology US, Inc. resolves Smartrac Technology Ltd. et al v. Leighton Technologies LLC (1:2011cv03807) filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

“We are pleased to have reached an amicable resolution of this case,” said Alexander Poltorak, Chairman and CEO of General Patent Corporation. “Smartrac has joined a growing list of smart card manufacturers that have licensed the Leighton patents.”

About General Patent Corporation

General Patent Corporation, headquartered in Suffern, N.Y., is a leading intellectual property boutique focusing on patent licensing and enforcement. GPC represents inventors, businesses, universities and other patent owners in patent assertion matters by managing and financing patent litigation on a contingency basis. GPC is the oldest patent enforcement firm in the U.S. Founded in 1987, General Patent is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2012. GPC is the managing member of Leighton Technologies LLC. For more information, visit http://www.generalpatent.com.

About Leighton Technologies LLC

Leighton Technologies LLC is the owner of a six-patent portfolio of “Contactless Cards” and related technologies:

1. 5,817,207: “Radio frequency identification card and hot lamination process for the manufacture of radio frequency identification cards”

2. 6,036,099: “Hot lamination process for the manufacture of a combination contact/contactless smart card and product resulting therefrom”

3. 6,214,155: “Radio frequency identification card and hot lamination process for the manufacture of radio frequency identification cards”

4. 6,441,736: “Ultra-thin flexible durable radio frequency identification devices and hot or cold lamination process for the manufacture of ultra-thin flexible durable radio frequency identification devices”

5. 6,557,766: “Hot lamination method for a hybrid radio frequency optical memory card converting sheets into a web process”

6. 6514,367: “Hot lamination process for the manufacture of a combination contact/contactless smart card”

Leighton Technologies is a portfolio company of IP Holdings LLC, and is managed by General Patent Corporation. A non-exclusive license under these patents is available on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. For licensing terms, please contact Kathlene Ingham at (845) 368-4000 x107. For more information, please visit http://www.leighton-tech.com.

About IP Holdings LLC

IP Holdings LLC, a member of the GPC Group of Companies, is an IP-centric merchant banking organization. IP Holdings provides IP advisory services, IP-related financial services and IP brokerage, and operates an idea incubator. IP Holdings is a member of Leighton Technologies. For more information, visit http://www.ip-holdings.com.

Source : http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1112500560/general_patent_corporation_settles_patent_lawsuit_with_smartrac_technology/

Patent Infringement | "Facebook Acquires Hundreds of Patents from IBM"

By :  Douglas Perry
Source : http://www.tomshardware.com
Category : Patent Infringement

According to a report, Facebook intends to improve its position in patent infringement suits. The patent package apparently covers "various technologies such as software and networking." So far, Facebook has only been granted 56 patents, while 503 are pending in the approval process.

Facebook is in a similar position as Google, who recently complained that young companies have a tough time inventing and competing as they are hit with patent infringement lawsuits, often from patent trolls that buy up old patents, create business entities around individual patents and then launch a patent infringement lawsuit in the hope a corporation is willing to settle the suit for license fees rather than going through a patent battle that may result in even higher license fees. Google is believed to have purchased more than 2000 patents in 2011 alone.

For IBM, this deal is just part of its patent monetization business, which has clearly been heating up lately. Overall, the deal is unlikely to affect IBM's patent base in a noticeable way. The company has led patent approvals for 19 years straight and was granted 6,180 patents in 2011.

Source : http://www.tomshardware.com/news/facebook-patent-ibm-google-uspto,15108.html

Patent Infringement | "TRAVEL APPS TARGETED IN PATENT INFRINGEMENT LAWSUITS"

By :  Michèle McDonald
Source : http://www.travelmarketreport.com
Category : Patent Infringement

Mobile devices give agents exciting new opportunities for servicing customers, but creativity in the mobile channel could be stymied by a phenomenon known as the “patent troll.”

A patent troll is a company that makes money primarily by suing other companies for patent infringement. Mobile technology is proving to be fertile ground for such companies – and travel companies are among the targets.

Travelocity, UAL, Hertz Are Sued
A Tulsa, Okla., company called Macrosolve has sued 59 companies, claiming infringement of a patent that it was awarded in October 2010. Among the defendants are some of the largest travel companies in the U.S.

American Airlines, Avis Rent A Car System, Continental Airlines, the Hertz Corp., Hipmunk Inc., Hotels.com, Priceline.com, Southwest Airlines, Travelocity.com and United Air Lines were sued on Dec. 21. They have since been joined by Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotel Group and Six Continents, IHG’s corporate predecessor.

Macrosolve has not shied away from taking on other big names – including Facebook, Groupon, Dell and AT&T.

Patent for app transmissions
The patent that is the basis of its lawsuits gives MacroSolve the rights to a process that sends applications to mobile devices for downloading, collects information from users and sends it back to a central database.

That covers any existing or future mobile app that sends data from the app user back to the makers or administrators of the app.

Any booking, purchase or request for information would fall into that category. That makes every transactional travel app a potential target for a lawsuit.

Tricky legal terrain
Patent infringement lawsuits are nothing new in the world of technology. Alexander Graham Bell was sued by several inventors after he produced the telephone. But software patents present some difficulties.

The U.S. Patent Office resisted awarding software patents for a long time, believing it was akin to awarding a copyright for language. You can copyright a book, but you can’t copyright an idea. But several court decisions in the 1990s forced it to change its stance.

The office was then deluged with applications, and according to M-CAM, a patent consultancy, patents for the same “invention” were often granted to different companies. In some cases, the language of the patent is mystifying even to the inventor.

‘Abysmal monument’
M-CAM chairman Dr. David E. Martin called MacroSolve’s patent “an abysmal monument to the complete failure of the patent system,” noting wryly that the patent hinges on keyword searches “with innovative terms like ‘survey,’ ‘poll,’ ‘collect’ and ‘gather.’”

Macrosolve does market some mobile applications and tools for restaurants, school safety and other categories under the Illume Mobile brand, but it has openly declared that “monetization” of the patent is a priority. It told investors that it has targeted an additional 250 companies for legal action.

Lucrative business
In Macrosolve’s most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it said it “has received 14 settlements in the form of non-exclusive, perpetual paid-up licenses for licensed products resulting in revenues of over $1 million in 2011, which represented approximately 63% of total revenue in 2011.”

Source : http://www.travelmarketreport.com/technology?articleID=7051&LP=1

Patent Infringement | "Canon Announces Resolution of Patent Infringement Disputes"

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.marketwatch.com
Category: Patent Infringement


LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Mar 19, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Canon today announced the resolution of patent infringement disputes with Atman, Inc. d/b/a pcRUSH.com (“pcRUSH”) in the International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, concerning certain toner cartridges and their photosensitive drums sold for use in Canon or Hewlett Packard laser beam printers.

As a result of the resolution, which was reached on March 9, 2012, pcRUSH has stipulated to a Consent Order from the International Trade Commission and Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction from the Southern District of New York, which will prohibit pcRUSH from making, using, selling and offering for sale in the U.S., and from importing into the U.S., these toner cartridges and their photosensitive drums.

Throughout the development, sales and marketing process, Canon respects the intellectual property of other companies and individuals and expects others to similarly respect Canon’s intellectual property rights. Canon remains committed to pursuing legal enforcement against those who do not respect Canon’s intellectual property.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With $45.6 billion in 2011 global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. CAJ -0.80%  , ranks third overall in patent holdings in the U.S. in 2011+ and is one of Fortune Magazine's World’s Most Admired Companies in 2011. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss .

Specifications subject to change without notice.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

+Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Availability and specifications of all products are subject to change without notice.

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/canon-announces-resolution-of-patent-infringement-disputes-2012-03-19

Patent Infringement | "Austek, HTC accused of patent infringement"

By: Chou Young
Source: http://focustaiwan.tw
Category: Patent Infringement

Patent Infringement

Washington, March 14 (CNA) A U.S.-based patent holding company has accused personal computer vendor Austek Computer Inc. and smartphone maker HTC Corp. from Taiwan of patent infringement, according to the United States International Trade Commission (USITC).

The commission said Wednesday that Pragmatus AV, LLC, has filed a complaint with the USITC, alleging Asustek and HTC infringed on the technology asserted by the patent holding company related to certain consumer electronics, such as mobile phones and tablet computers.

Among several other companies, Asustek's unit ASUS Computer International Inc., HTC's subsidiary HTC America, Inc., and Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. of South Korea are also named as respondents in the complaint.

The complaint said Pragmatus alleged these accused companies have violated Section 337 of the U.S. Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into and sale of products containing the particular technology in the U.S. market.

In Taipei, HTC said it has not received any legal document about the case, while Asustek said it has commissioned lawyers to get a better understanding about the complaint.

However, when asked to comment on the case, both Asustek and HTC said they always respect intellectual property rights.

The USITC said the respondents in the complaint and other interested parties and members of the public are invited to file comments on the case.

The commission will vote to decide whether to launch an investigation into the accusation. Once a probe is initiated, the commission's chief administrative law judge will assign one of its six administrative law judges, who will hold an evidentiary hearing and issue a preliminary ruling.

The initial ruling is subject to review by the commission.

According to the Science & Technology Policy Research and Information Center under Taiwan's National Applied Research Laboratories, Pragmatus, which was established in June 2010, has also taken legal action against Facebook, Youtube, Linkedin and Phtobucket.com for patent infringement.

Source: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201203150016

Patent Infringement | "Apple loses ITC ruling against Motorola Mobility in patent infringement case"

By: Steven Sande
Source: http://www.tuaw.com
Category : Patent Infringement

Florian Mueller over at FOSS Patents noted yesterday that Apple's patent infringement case against Motorola Mobility has been dealt a nearly fatal blow in the courts of the United States International Trade Commission (ITC).

The suit alleged that Motorola Mobility was infringing on three Apple patents: one all-important patent for a multipoint touchscreen, an "object-oriented system locator system" patent, and a patent for an "ellipse fitting for multi-touch surfaces." The ITC's preliminary ruling in January found no proof that Moto was infringing on Apple's patents, and Friday's final ruling (PDF) upheld the initial finding.

That doesn't make this the end of the road for Apple in the fight against Motorola Mobility. In fact, Mueller notes that the company will most likely appeal the decision in a U.S. Federal Circuit Court, as it is doing with another ITC ruling that found in favor of smartphone manufacturer HTC. There is a much better chance that the Federal Courts will overturn the ITC ruling, but Mueller says that this will take a significant amount of time.

Smartphone-related patent infringement claims at the ITC tend to have a very high drop-out rate, so many manufacturers are now taking cases to German courts for "fast and furious" decisions. Mueller notes that the courts in Munich and Mannheim are twice as speedy as the ITC, and patent holders like Apple often win favorable rulings. This explains Apple's reasoning in taking a number of other patent infringement complaints to the German courts for swift rulings that result in injunctions on sales of new products.

Source: http://www.tuaw.com/2012/03/17/apple-loses-itc-ruling-against-motorola-mobility-in-patent-infri/

Patent Infringement | "Facebook Sued for Patent Infringement; Yahoo Seeks Injunction, Treble Damages"

By: http://www.bna.com
Category: Patent News

Most of the popular features that have made Facebook Inc. a successful social network are attributable to the company's unlicensed use of numerous Yahoo! Inc. patents, Yahoo alleged in an infringement lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California March 12 Yahoo! Inc. v. Facebook Inc., N.D. Calif., No. 12-01212, complaint filed, 3/12/12)

The complaint asserted ten claims of infringement based on Yahoo patents directed to advertising, privacy, customization, networking, and messaging. Yahoo seeks an injunction and treble damages under 35 § U.S.C. §284 because it alleges that the infringement is “willful and deliberate.”

Yahoo Claims It ‘Got There First.'

In its complaint Yahoo quoted Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's statement that “Getting there first is not what it is all about.”

The problem, according to the complaint, is that much of Facebook's infrastructure was in fact developed by Yahoo. Indeed, “Yahoo! got there first and was therefore granted patents by the United States Patent and Trade Office to protect those innovations,” the complaint stated.

In particular, Yahoo alleged that Facebook is infringing four patents directed to advertising (6,907,566; 7,100,111; 7,373,599; 7,668,861); two patents directed to privacy (7,269,590; 7,599,935); two customization patents (7,454,509; 5,983,227); a networking patent (7,747,648); and a messaging patent (7,406,501).

The advertising patents have allowed Facebook to monetize the traffic that its website attracts, the complaint said, while the other patents have helped Facebook create a unique user experience. The complaint alleged that Facebook's popular News Feed feature uses Yahoo's customization patents, and that other services offered by the social network are also dependent on Yahoo patents.

The complaint stated that Yahoo notified Facebook in February that its patents were being infringed

Royalties Not Adequate

“Yahoo! is harmed by Facebook's use of Yahoo!'s patented technologies in a way that cannot be compensated by payment of royalty alone,” the complaint said. Facebook's unlicensed use of the patents has helped it to gain market share by allowing it to profit of the research and development that Yahoo invested in the patents, the complaint said. Accordingly, Yahoo said that even if Facebook were to pay for its previous use of the technology, that would be an inadequate remedy because it would not address Facebook's market share.

Yahoo therefore asked the court to temporarily and permanently enjoin Facebook from using Yahoo's patents.

Yahoo is represented by Charles K. Verhoeven of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, San Francisco.

Source:http://www.bna.com/facebook-sued-patent-n12884908349/

Patent Infringement | "The Hague to Samsung: no injunction for 3G patent infringement if Apple's willing to FRAND license"

By: Michael Gorman
Source: http://www.engadget.com
Category: Patent Infringement

Patent Invringement

Since it's been more than 24 hours since the last bit of news in the ongoing legal battle between Samsung and Apple, we figured you could do with another litigation revelation. Late last year, the Hague shot down Sammy's request to prevent iPads and iPhones from being sold in the Netherlands. 


Today, the Dutch court went a step further, telling the Korean company that it can't pursue any other injunctions based upon its FRAND 3G patents as long as Cupertino's willing to talk about licensing them. Not only that, it went on to hold that those patents don't apply in Sammy's case against the iPhone 4S due to the theory of patent exhaustion. 


The allegedly infringing bits in the handset are made by Qualcomm, who licensed the technology directly from Samsung -- granting Apple protection under the license as a third party beneficiary -- and Apple prevailed using arguments not unlike those it made in a suit it recently filed against Motorola. Score one more legal victory for Tim Cook and company, but as you already know, the war is far from over.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/14/the-hague-to-samsung-no-injunction-for-3g-patent-infringement-i/  

Patent Infringement | "Augme Files Patent Infringement Suit Against Competitor Velti USA, Inc."

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.businessreviewusa.com 
Category: Patent Infringement

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Mar 12, 2012) - Augme Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: AUGT), ("Augme^®") ("the Company"), a leader in interactive media marketing that provides the only patented end-to-end mobile marketing platform, today announced that it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court of Delaware against Velti USA, Inc., (NASDAQ: VELT) (the "Defendant"), a global provider of mobile marketing and advertising technology and solutions.

Augme is asserting three causes of action involving patent infringement related to Augme-ownedUnited States Patent No. 7,783,721 ("Method and Code Module for Adding Function to a Web Page"),United States Patent No. 7,269,636 ("Method and Code Module For Adding Function to a Web Page") and United States Patent No. 6,594,691 ("Method and System for Adding Function to a Web Page"). Augme seeks injunctive relief to prevent Defendant from continuing to infringe Augme's patents. In addition, Augme seeks a recovery of monetary damages resulting from Defendant's past infringement of these patents and all legal fees associated with this patent enforcement effort.

"Augme is fully committed to protecting the intellectual property rights provided by its growing patent portfolio," said Paul Arena, Chief Executive Officer of Augme Technologies, Inc. "We are taking this action on behalf of our shareholders to protect Augme's market-leading mobile marketing business from unfair practices by a direct competitor, and we expect to win damages, to be granted an injunction, and to be awarded legal fees."

Augme's Complaint alleges that it has suffered irreparable harm as a result of the alleged infringement and thus seeks a permanent injunction against Velti USA, Inc. The requested injunction would prevent Velti USA, Inc. from manufacturing, using, offering for sale, selling and/or importing into the United States of infringing products, methods, processes, services and/or systems that are primarily used or primarily adapted for use in an electronic or computer network system for targeting content via a Web browser. The Defendant's activities have been identified as infringing Augme's '721, '636 and/or '691 Patents, or otherwise inducing or contributing to the alleged infringement.

Source:http://www.businessreviewusa.com/press_releases/augme-files-patent-infringement-suit-against-competitor-velti-usa-inc

Patent Infringement | "Yahoo sues facebook over patent infringement"

By: http://www.nst.com.my
Category: Patent Infringement



SAN FRANCISCO: Yahoo! filed suit against Facebook in a California court yesterday accusing the social networking giant of infringing on 10 patents held by the Internet pioneer.

Yahoo!, in a 19-page lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Northern  District of California, accused Facebook of infringing on patents in several  areas including advertising, privacy and messaging.

The Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo! asked the court in San Jose to order  Facebook to halt its alleged patent-infringing activities and to assess  unspecified damages.

“Yahoo! has invested substantial resources in research and development  through the years, which has resulted in numerous patented inventions of  technology that other companies have licensed,” Yahoo! said in a statement.

“These technologies are the foundation of our business that engages over  700 million monthly unique visitors and represent the spirit of innovation upon  which Yahoo! is built,” the company said.

“Unfortunately, the matter with Facebook remains unresolved and we are  compelled to seek redress in federal court,” it said. “We are confident that we  will prevail.”    Yahoo!’s lawsuit comes about five weeks after Facebook filed to go public  on Wall Street with an estimated valuation of up to $100 billion.

Patent suits are a frequent occurrence among smartphone and tablet computer  makers and the world’s best known brands are ensnared in a complex web of legal  claims but such suits are relatively rare among social media companies.

Facebook, which was founded in 2004, a decade after Yahoo!, expressed  disappointment with the Yahoo! move.

“We’re disappointed that Yahoo, a longtime business partner of Facebook and  a company that has substantially benefited from its association with Facebook,  has decided to resort to litigation,” a Facebook spokeswoman said.

“Once again, we learned of Yahoo’s decision simultaneously with the media,”  the spokeswoman said. “We will defend ourselves vigorously against these  puzzling actions.”  

In the suit, Yahoo! said that Facebook’s growth to more than 850 million  users “has been based in large part on Facebook’s use of Yahoo!’s patented  technology.”    “For much of the technology upon which Facebook is based Yahoo! got there  first and was therefore granted patents by the United States Patent Office to  protect those innovations,” Yahoo! said.
 
“Yahoo!’s patents relate to cutting edge innovations in online products,  including in messaging, news feed generation, social commenting, advertising  display, preventing click fraud and privacy controls,” it said.

“Facebook’s entire social network model, which allows users to create  profiles and connect with, among other things, persons and businesses, is based  on Yahoo!’s patented social networking technology,” it said.

 Yahoo! said Facebook’s popular “News Feed” feature, for example, is  “directly linked to Facebook’s infringement” of Yahoo! patents and its  advertising model is based on advertising patents held by Yahoo.
 
Once seen as the Internet’s leading light, Yahoo! has struggled in recent  years to build a strongly profitable, growing business out of its huge Web  presence and global audience.

Scott Thompson, formerly head of mobile payments firm PayPal, became chief  executive at Yahoo! at the beginning of January promising urgent action to turn  the company around.

Thompson came in after many months of turmoil over the company’s direction,  including deadlocked talks over possibly selling off valuable assets in China  and Japan.

Two weeks after Thompson was recruited, Yahoo! co-founder and former chief  executive Jerry Yang resigned from the board of directors.

A few weeks later the chairman and three other directors said they would  step down, opening the way for Thompson’s agenda.

Yahoo! shares were up 0.62 per cent to US$14.58 in after-hours trading. -- AFP



Source: http://www.nst.com.my/latest/yahoo-sues-facebook-over-patent-infringement-1.59959#ixzz1oyxfY2Nm

Patent Infringement | "Apple barred from pursuing patent claims against Kodak"

By: Steven Musil
Source :  http://www.cnet.com.au
Category: Patent Infringement 

A judge in the US has told Apple that it cannot restart patent-infringement litigation against Eastman Kodak over a patent that may be sold during the troubled photography company's bankruptcy proceedings.

Patent Infringement 

US Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper, who is overseeing Kodak's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, has denied Apple's request to file a complaint with the International Trade Commission (ITC) and attempt to unfreeze a patent lawsuit pending between the companies. Gropper said that it would be inappropriate to allow Apple to continue pursuing claims against Kodak while the company is reorganising.

The patent, which covers technology that allows consumers to preview digital photographs on LCD screens, is part of a portfolio of digital-imaging patents that Kodak is hoping to sell for as much as US$2.6 billion. The ruling is a setback for Apple, which fears that the patent might be sold before its rightful ownership is determined by the courts.

An Apple spokesperson declined to comment on the ruling.

Last May, the ITC ruled that the patent-infringement claims that Apple had brought against Kodak, related to the way in which images are displayed on digital cameras, had not been violated. Kodak responded by filing a lawsuit against the iPhone maker for allegedly violating patents related to transferring and emailing images and sending photos over a mobile or Wi-Fi network.

Kodak filed for bankruptcy protection in January, securing US$950 million in debtor-in-possession financing from Citigroup that that will allow the company to continue operations as it restructures. It was also issued an automatic stay that protects it from existing and new litigation. Part of the deal, however, is that Kodak must sell a portfolio of 1100 digital-imaging patents.

Worried that the patent would be sold off, the iPhone maker last month asked the US Bankruptcy Court for permission to restart litigation against Kodak by filing lawsuits with the ITC and the US District Court of Manhattan, alleging that Kodak violated its patents related to printers, digital picture frames and digital cameras. Kodak responded by asking the court to block Apple's lawsuits from proceeding.

Source: http://www.cnet.com.au/apple-barred-from-pursuing-patent-claims-against-kodak-339333515.htm

Patent Infringement | "Apple's new iPad with LTE is accused of Infringing 4G Patents"

By: http://www.patentlyapple.com
Category: Patent Infringement

ADAPTIX Inc., of Dallas Texas is an award-winning technology company long recognized in the industry as one of the first developers of cutting edge OFDMA-based mobile wireless systems. The company claims to have conceived, built, and patented critical equipment and network features that form the foundation of today's advanced 4G broadband wireless technology and systems. Late Friday, the company launched a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple over their new iPad with LTE and Retina Display. On a second front, Apple has been sued by NovelPoint Security over Intel based Macs allegedly using their technology to thwart viruses. 

The Alleged Patent Infringements In-Part

In ADAPTIX Inc.'s Count One they allege Infringement of US Patent 7,454,212.

The formal complaint reads as follows: "On information and belief, Apple is directly and/or indirectly infringing at least one claim of the '212 Patent in this judicial district and elsewhere in Texas and the United States by, among other things, making, using, offering for sale, selling and/or importing computerized devices including without limitation Retina display iPads sold to AT&T which, at a minimum, directly infringe the '212 Patent."  

In Count Two, ADAPTIX claims infringement of US Patent 6,947,748. The complaint is identical to the one presented in Count One above. It should also be noted that the lawsuit includes AT&T for selling the new iPad the LTE.

The case was filed on March 9, 2012 in the United States Texas Eastern District Court, Tyler Office. The presiding Judge in this case is noted as being Judge Leonard Davis.

It should be noted that ADAPTIX, Inc. was acquired by Acacia Research Corporation in January 2012.According Wikipedia, Acacia Research Corporation has adopted the business model known as patent trolling.

NovelPoint Security Sues Apple

On another front, Apple is being sued by NovelPoint Security LLC. The lawsuit involves patents that include a computer security system covered by one or more claims of patents 5,434,562 and6,212,635. The computer systems noted in the complaint are Intel based Macs starting in 2006.

Is this another patent troll case? It appears so. The court document reads: "Plaintiff is the owner by assignment of the '562 Patent with sole rights to enforce the '562 Patent and sue infringers." I don't know how you would read that otherwise.

Notice: Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of certain legal cases/ lawsuits which are part of the public record for journalistic news purposes. Readers are cautioned that Patently Apple does not offer an opinion on the merit of the case and strictly presents the allegations made in said legal cases / lawsuits. A lawyer should be consulted for any further details or analysis. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. On most legal cases, comments will be closed. See our Legal Archives for other patent infringement cases.

Source: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2012/03/apples-new-ipad-with-lte-is-accused-of-infringing-4g-patents.html

Investment in India | "Telenor moves FIPB for fresh Indian start"

By: Business Standard
Source: http://business-standard.com
Category:Investment in India 

Norwegian telecom company Telenor has applied to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to be allowed to form a new entity for its operations in India.

This comes after the company’s announcing last month that it was snapping its partnership with the Unitech group in the country.


Telenor has said it wishes to hold 74 per stake in the new entity.

The pan-Indian mobile phone licences of Uninor, its joint venture with Unitech, have been impacted by the Supreme Court’s February 2 order on cancellation of all 122 licences issued in January 2008 by then telecom minister A Raja, who has been in judicial custody for more than a year in the alleged 2G spectrum allocation scam.

“Telenor Group’s intention is to form a new entity in India, with which its Indian operations will be taken forward. This new entity will serve as the platform to approach the upcoming auctions for fresh licences as mandated by the Supreme Court," the company said in reply to an email query. Adding, “As a part of this process, the new entity has applied for requisite approvals from the FIPB.”

Telenor said it had started the process of securing a partner, without giving details.


After the SC order, Telenor had said it was ending the JV with Unitech on account of the latter’s alleged “fraud and misrepresentation”. It had also at that point mentioned its intention of setting up a new company for its telecom business in India.

"Our primary concern is to secure a smooth process that ensures no adverse impact of the recent developments on Uninor's 40 million customers, 17,500 workforce or its distribution network with more than 400,000 points of sale," the company said.

Both partners had moved the Company Law Board to protect their investments and rights. Recently, the CLB returned their petitions on technical grounds and asked for rectification of errors by March 13. The Board also suggested the two companies try to find an amicable solution to the issue.

In fact, both were at loggerheads even earlier, since Telenor’s proposal of a rights issue to raise funds. Unitech was insisting on debt funding. The companies are also facing arbitration in a Singapore court.

Telenor had signed the JV with Unitech in 2009 and currently holds 67.25 per cent stake in it. It offers services under the Uninor brand in 13 of 22 telecom circles in the country. It had licences to offer pan-India services. Telenor has invested Rs 6,135 crore through equity and a little over Rs 8,000 crore in debt. It has also started a fresh valuation process for its business in India.

The other companies which got impacted by the apex court order include Sistema Shyam, Videocon, Idea Cellular, Tata Teleservices, Loop and Etisalat DB. The vacated spectrum is to be auctioned by the government, directed the SC, within four months. However, the government has filed a clarificatory petition in the SC, saying such an auction would take at least 400 days.

Source: http://business-standard.com/india/news/telenor-moves-fipb-for-fresh-indian-start/467129/

Investment in India | "RIL, Tata Sons lead India Inc’s $2bn foreign investment"

By: firstpost.investing
Source: http://www.firstpost.com
Category:Investment in India 

Overseas investment by Indian companies stood at $2.01 billion in February with Reliance Industries and Tata group holding company Tata Sons emerging as major investors.

In February, a total of 401 overseas investment transactions were done by Indian entities.

The foreign direct investment (FDI) was at $97 million in January, according to the Reserve Bank of India data released on Tuesday.

In February, a total of 401 overseas investment transactions were done by Indian entities. AFP
Thus, the outward investment in the last 11 months of the current fiscal stood at $8.86 billion compared to $16.84 billion in April-February period of the previous fiscal.

Among large outbound investment, Reliance Industries, involved in manufacturing, committed $1 billion to its subsidiary Reliance Oil & Gas Mauritius during the month.

Cox & Kings India , which is into travel and tourism sector, invested $147.2 million through its various joint-ventures and wholly owned subsidiaries across the UK, Japan, Singapore and United Arab Emirates, it said.

Tata Sons, through its wholly owned subsidiary invested $113.91 million in the UK during the month, it added.

Source:  http://www.firstpost.com/investing/ril-tata-sons-lead-india-incs-2bn-foreign-investment-237108.html

Patent Infringement | "Universal Electronics Files Patent Infringement Suit against Universal Remote Control (7/3/2012)"

By: hiddenwires
Source: http://hiddenwires.co.uk
Category: Patent Infringement 

Alleges Willful Infringement of Four (4) United States Patents

Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) (NASDAQ:UEIC), a global leader in wireless control technology for the connected home, announced it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Universal Remote Control, Inc. for patent infringement. Universal Electronics seeks an injunction in addition to monetary damages.

In this lawsuit, Universal Electronics asserts infringement by Universal Remote Control of United States Patent No. 5,414,426, entitled "Favorite Key Macro Command and Chained Macro Command in a Remote Control;" United States Patent No. 5,568,367, entitled "Remote Control with Key Lighting;" United States Patent No. 5,614,906, entitled "Method For Selecting a Remote Control Command Set;" and United States Patent No. 6,587,067 B2, entitled "Universal Remote Control with Macro Command Capabilities.”

“Universal Electronics has built a reputation as a trusted advisor in control technology applications,” says Paul Arling, Chairman and CEO of Universal Electronics. “We spend significant resources in research and development, and are proud of our innovation and industry leadership in control technology. We have tried to resolve this issue amicably with Universal Remote Control, but unfortunately, our efforts were not successful,” added Arling.

Universal Electronics has retained the law firm of Niro, Haller & Niro, a Chicago-based law firm that specializes in intellectual property litigation, to prosecute the case.

Universal Electronics holds 130 US patents and has hundreds of additional patent applications pending in the United States and jurisdictions throughout the world

Source: http://hiddenwires.co.uk/resourcesnews2012/news20120307-04.html

Patent Infringement | "Samsung files new patent infringement suit against Apple in South Korea"

By:  Katie Marsal
Source: http://www.appleinsider.com
Category: Patent Infringement 

The number of lawsuits between Samsung and Apple continues to grow, as on Wednesday Samsung revealed it had filed another patent infringement claim in South Korea, accusing the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 of infringing on three patents.

The suit filed in a court in Seoul alleges that Apple's latest smartphone and its second-generation tablet infringe on patents related to displaying data, the user interface, and short text messages, according to Reuters. There are now more than 30 lawsuits between Apple and Samsung spanning across 10 countries.

The latest filing comes as Apple is expected to show off its next-generation iPad at a media event scheduled to begin today at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern in San Francisco.

If history is any indication, Samsung could act quickly in an attempt to block sales of Apple's next iPad. Last October, Samsung filed lawsuits almost immediately after the iPhone 4S was unveiled, attempting to block the launch of the device in France and Italy.

The latest suit also comes after it was revealed on Tuesday that Apple has offered settlements to both Samsung and Motorola in its patent infringement disputes. It was said that Apple has sought royalties of between $5 and $15 per Android-based handset sold by its rivals.

Apple reportedly entered into negotiations with Samsung before it took the company to court. The iPhone maker's first lawsuit against Samsung came last April, when it accused Samsung of copying the look and feel of the iPhone and iPad.

Source: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/03/07/samsung_files_new_patent_infringement_suit_against_apple_in_south_korea.html

Patent Infringement | "Universal Electronics Files Patent Infringement Suit against Universal Remote Control"

By: http://www.sunherald.com
Category: Patent Infringement


CYPRESS, Calif. -- Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) (NASDAQ:UEIC), a global leader in wireless control technology for the connected home, announced it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Universal Remote Control, Inc. for patent infringement. Universal Electronics seeks an injunction in addition to monetary damages.

In this lawsuit, Universal Electronics asserts infringement by Universal Remote Control of United States Patent No. 5,414,426, entitled "Favorite Key Macro Command and Chained Macro Command in a Remote Control;" United States Patent No. 5,568,367, entitled "Remote Control with Key Lighting;" United States Patent No. 5,614,906, entitled "Method For Selecting a Remote Control Command Set;" and United States Patent No. 6,587,067 B2, entitled "Universal Remote Control with Macro Command Capabilities.”
“Universal Electronics has built a reputation as a trusted advisor in control technology applications,” says Paul Arling, Chairman and CEO of Universal Electronics. “We spend significant resources in research and development, and are proud of our innovation and industry leadership in control technology. We have tried to resolve this issue amicably with Universal Remote Control, but unfortunately, our efforts were not successful,” added Arling.

Universal Electronics has retained the law firm of Niro, Haller & Niro, a Chicago-based law firm that specializes in intellectual property litigation, to prosecute the case.

Universal Electronics holds 130 US patents and has hundreds of additional patent applications pending in the United States and jurisdictions throughout the world.
About Universal Electronics Inc.

Founded in 1986, Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) is the global leader in wireless control technology for the connected home. UEI designs, develops, and delivers innovative solutions that enable consumers to control entertainment devices, digital media, and home systems. The company’s broad portfolio of patented technologies and database of infrared control software have been adopted by many Fortune 500 companies in the consumer electronics, subscription broadcast, and computing industries. UEI sells and licenses wireless control products through distributors and retailers under the One For All® brand name. More information is available at www.uei.com.


Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/05/3796233/universal-electronics-files-patent.html#storylink=cpy

Patent Infringement | "Fidelity takes up patent fight"

By: Brendan Lynch
Source: http://news.bostonherald.com
Category: Patent Infringement

Fidelity Investments is fending off a potential patent infringement lawsuit by pre-emptively striking against a West Coast company that launched a broad legal assault over mobile payment technology.

The Boston financial services giant received a letter in October from Maxim Integrated Products urging Fidelity to pay licensing fees for “mobile transaction” technology covered by the company’s patents.

Since the beginning of the year, Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Maxim has sued Starbucks, Southwest Airlines, Groupon and seven other companies. Fidelity took Maxim to court first, filing a civil complaint last month in Boston federal court seeking a ruling that its iPhone app doesn’t infringe on the patents.

Maxim declined comment. The publicly traded firm, founded in 1983, makes semiconductor products but also holds a portfolio of mobile payment patents.

Companies often pick up patents beyond their main business through acquisitions and can generate revenue even if they don’t develop products.

“The nice way to put it is ‘non-practicing entities.’ They’re also called ‘patent trolls,’ ” said Robert Abrahamsen, a patent attorney at Wolf Greenfield in Boston.

A high-profile case occurred in 2006 when Research in Motion was forced to fork over $613 million to patent-rich company NTP to avoid a shutdown of its BlackBerry wireless email service.

Abrahamsen said he wasn’t surprised Fidelity sued in Massachusetts, its home court, where juries may be sympathetic. Maxim has filed lawsuits in the “plaintiff-friendly” Eastern District of Texas, he said.

Fidelity spokesman Adam Banker declined to comment on the lawsuit but said the legal action “will have no effect on our products, our services or our customers.”

Source: http://news.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view/20220305fidelity_takes_up_patent_fight_fund_giant_sues_company_seeking_licensing_fees_for_mobile_technology/srvc=home&position=also

Patent Infringement | "Patent infringement complaint against MediaTek rejected"

By: Chang Chien-chung and Elizabeth Hsu
Source: http://focustaiwan.tw
Category: Patent Infringement

Patent Infringement 

Taipei, March 3 (CNA) MediaTek Inc., a Taiwanese fabless IC designer and trader based in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan, said Saturday that it felt gratified after learning the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) had rejected a patent infringement complaint against it. 

The complaint was among a number of patent complaints filed by Rambus Inc., a U.S.-based designer of high-speed memory chips, in 2010, accusing a series of chip-makers of violating several patents it holds that are related to technology used to accelerate the performance of memory chips. 

MediaTek was accused of infringing on two patents with its chip products for DVD players and digital televisions. 

That same year, Rambus also filed a complaint at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accusing the Taiwanese company of infringing on its 11 patents. 

In his initial determination, USITC Administrative Law Judge Theodore R. Essex said technology offered by LSI Corp., MediaTek Inc., STMicroelectronics NV and other semiconductor companies did not violate patents held by Rambus. 

Speaking on the ruling, MediaTek said it was gratified about the result. It also reiterated the company's constant stance of respecting intellectual property rights. 

According to foreign wire reports, the judge's findings are subject to review by the six-member commission, which has the power to block imports of products that infringe on U.S. patents. 

Source: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201203030026