US Trade Commission announces investigations

THE US International Trade Commission (ITC) is having a busy time as various IT industry types prepare to slug out their patent arguments there.

The ITC has the power to stop companies from importing their goods into the US so its rulings are well worth getting for any outfit that's defending or rather, prosecuting a patent case.

The first case has been bought by LG, which has been complaining that Vizio and AmTRAN nicked its patents for digital televisions and components, such as television receivers and controllers.

The second case has been bought by Thomson Licensing, which has moaned that LCD display devices, including monitors, televisions, and modules, and components infringe its patents. Named are Chimei Innolux, Innolux, Chi Mei Optoelectronics, MsStar, Qisda, BenQ and Realtek.

In both cases LG and Thomson have asked for an import ban.

In the good old days companies used to come up with ideas and then used to sell things called products based on them. It was not unheard of for another company to outsell a product line using things like price and design.

Those barbaric days are now long gone and companies now sit on huge piles of technology that they are never going to use and then sue another outfit which makes a similar product. Policemen are younger these days, too. µ