U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.
Some of LG’s imports are in violation of Osram’s U.S. Patent 7,151,283, Administrative Law Judge David Shaw said Monday in his initial decision in a U.S. International Trade Commission investigation. The investigation of LG’s light-emitting diodes was started by the ITC in July 2011, after Siemens subsidiary Osram filed a complaint accusing LG of violating the 283 patent and U.S. Patent 7,271,425. Shaw’s initial determination was that LG’s accused products infringed on several claims regarding the 283 patent, but that the products “do not infringe” on several asserted claims regarding the 425 patent. He said “it has not been shown by clear and convincing evidence that any asserted claim” of either patent was “invalid.” LG Electronics USA Vice President John Taylor said Tuesday his company was “pleased” that the ALJ ruled in favor of it, finding no infringement of Osram’s 425 patent. But he said LG “disagrees with” Shaw’s initial determination concerning the 283 patent, and “plans to seek review before the ITC in the final determination phase of the case.”
The International Trade Commission issued a proposed rule that would change its Rules of Practice and Procedure concerning general application, adjudication, and enforcement in Section 337 patent investigations. The proposed rule would amend the ITC’s regulations at 19 CFR 201 and 210 in order to change filing deadlines and requirements, remove outdated references, “address concerns that have arisen in Commission practice,” etc. Comments on the ITC’s proposed rule are due by Sept. 10.
The State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls said its Electronic Form Submission (EFS) application has been upgraded to version 1.1.EFSe v1.1 and released a document that provides information supporting the release of EFS v1.1 and the supporting web content included in DTAS Online v1.1. DDTC said the release is to improve functional aspects of EFS and to correct navigational and screen issues. Highlights of functional improvements include: a check to prevent the submission of blank forms; feedback to the user when a case has been successfully submitted to the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC); ability to enter certain special characters in the subject field of a submission; system timeout after a period of inactivity; improved consistency in the file upload process; and improved consistency in field validation. Additional information is available (here) and from the DTRADE Help Desk at 202-663-2838 or dtradehelpdesk@state.gov.
Broker Power is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 2-6 in case they were missed last week.
Sigma Designs and dissident shareholder Potomac Capital Management are trading barbs, with the chip developer claiming it’s “poised to leverage leading technologies,” and the hedge fund countering that “poor financial performance” argues otherwise, the companies said in separate SEC filings. The filings come as Sigma prepares for its annual meeting in August, when competing visions of the company will be brought before shareholders.
CBP ACEopedia for July 2012 provides an update to progress in ACE to date. The update on progress was the biggest changes between the new ACEopedia and previous versions.
The Office of U.S. Trade Representative closed the Generalized System of Preferences country practice review on worker rights in Sri Lanka without any change to Sri Lanka’s GSP trade benefits, said USTR Ron Kirk. The AFL-CIO had filed a petition in 2008 alleging shortcomings in Sri Lanka’s recognition of worker rights. Kirk noted “the Sri Lankan government’s noteworthy efforts over the past few years to address the worker rights issues outlined in the GSP petition.” Among the steps, USTR said, are making progress in initiating, investigating and resolving unfair labor practices cases; establishing trade union facilitation centers in each of the three largest Economic Processing Zones; improving procedures for conducting union certifications; and enacting legislation to increase the fines for labor practices violations.
The Court of International Trade ruled that a challenge to the International Trade Administration’s exclusion (because of a zero rate) of a Chinese company from the antidumping duty order on multilayered wood flooring from China (A-570-970) was untimely filed, but said it would not dismiss the case because of questions, in light of recent Supreme Court and appellate court rulings, regarding (i) whether the relevant time requirements preclude jurisdiction and (ii) the possibility of equitable tolling. CIT ordered further briefing to address these issues.
Third-party developer titles will account for half of LeapFrog’s App Center content by year-end as the toy company expands to 325 download titles for its LeapPad2 and LeapsterGS tablet and handheld learning devices, Producer Ardry Engleheart told us Thursday during a news briefing in New York.