[pp.int.general] Fwd: [The IPKat] LG obtains border seizure against Sony PS3

[Amelia Andersdotter]

tjup. what do you know?

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[The IPKat] LG obtains border seizure against Sony PS3
Date: 	Tue, 1 Mar 2011 08:18:43 -0800 (PST)
From: 	Mark Schweizer <mark.schweizer at gmail.com>
Reply-To: 	mark.schweizer at gmail.com
To: 	ipkat_readers at googlegroups.com



<http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aa4YHmzDegY/TW0ajgXLv8I/AAAAAAAABhM/lT-89a2qbwc/s1600/ps3.jpg>As 
the Guardian reports 
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/feb/28/playstation-3-lg-legal-dispute>, 
Korean consumer electronic giant LG has obtained a preliminary 
injunction from the district court of the Hague, barring import of 
Sony's PS3 game console into the European Union "for at least ten days" 
(this seems to indicate an ex parte injunction, but the news article is 
sketchy). Since Sony is importing upwards of 100,000 consoles per week 
(according to the Guardian), the economic impact of this order is 
significant. Sony says its stock held in Europe will last for three weeks.

LG based its claim on patents (allegedly) covering the Blu-ray playback 
facility of the PS3, but the news article does not give any further details.

As the Spiegel 
<http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/0,1518,748360,00.html> notes, the 
case may well settle, because in December 2010, Sony filed a patent 
infringement complaint with the US International Trade Commission 
against LG, claiming that LG infringed on several Sony patents on mobile 
phone technology, asking to bar import into the US of LG mobile phones 
(source 
<http://techtickerblog.com/2010/12/30/sony-sues-lg-wants-to-block-mobile-phone-sales-in-us/>). 
LG already countersued Sony before the International Trade Commission, 
requesting an import ban of "high margin televisions and game consoles 
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704422204576131113750988234.html>" 
- presumably containing Blu-ray players and therefore most probably 
based on the US patents corresponding to the patents the Dutch decision 
was based on.

Looks like the Hague district court is a lot faster than the 
International Trade Commission - and given what's at stake for both 
parties (should a court finally decide that the customs seizure was 
unjustified, LG is liable for damages), this decision certainly puts new 
urgency into settlement talks.


--
Posted By Mark Schweizer to The IPKat 
<http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2011/03/lg-obtains-border-seizure-against-sony.html> 
on 3/01/2011 03:28:00 PM --
You received this message because you are subscribed to the IPKat's 
email readers' group.
For forthcoming events, check the IPKat's sidebar at <a 
href="http://www.ipkat.com>www.ipkat.com</a>
To unsubscribe, email the IPKat <a 
href="mailto:ipkat_readers+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com">here</a>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.pirateweb.net/pipermail/pp.international.general/attachments/20110301/2a87a6c3/attachment.html>