The Supreme Court on May 19 decided not to hear a challenge to CBP’s reliance on its internal footwear definitions document in a tariff classification case on Deckers’ Outdoor Corporation’s Uggs boots. The denial of certiorari will allow to stand a Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruling in May 9 that partially relied on CBP’s internal definition to classify Uggs as slip-on footwear (see 13050901). Deckers’ had argued that, if allowed to stand, reliance on unsupported administrative “fiat” statements would put importers in a difficult position in tariff classification disputes (see 14011415).
Importers and brokers should not file requests to stop liquidation of claims potentially eligible for a renewed Generalized System of Preferences trade program, which expired last year, said CBP in a CSMS message. The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America recently advised filers to consider filing protests against liquidation to maintain rights to GSP benefits (see 14051211). Previous renewals of the GSP program allowed CBP to process retroactive refunds regardless of liquidation status, though it remains unclear if that would be the case even if GSP were renewed, the agency said.
The chief of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division sent the FCC a letter Wednesday endorsing spectrum aggregation limits, set for a vote at Thursday’s open meeting. Meanwhile, net neutrality isn’t the only issue to attract protesters at the FCC. (See separate report in this issue.) A small group of protesters showed up at the FCC Wednesday to hold up signs urging commissioners not to forget the TV incentive auction as net neutrality takes much of the attention headed into the meeting. “Focus on Auction,” one sign read. “No Spectrum = No Net to Open,” a second said.
Importers can file lawsuits against Customs for denying their antidumping and countervailing duty-related protests if they are challenging a clear CBP error, said the Court of International Trade May 13 as it denied CBP’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by LDA Incorporado. Although CBP cannot normally be challenged for AD/CV duty decisions -- that charge lies with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission -- in this case, LDA took issue with CBP’s application of Commerce’s instructions, and not the instructions themselves.
Haptic technology will be of growing importance in the wearable device market, Immersion CEO Victor Viegas predicted on an earnings call late Thursday. The company is working with its partners to “ensure that haptics is an integral part of the technology capabilities being established” for those devices, he said. Several new Samsung devices feature Immersion’s software, including the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smart watches and Gear Fit smart watch and fitness tracker, Immersion said earlier in the week. Immersion revenue for Q1 ended March 31 grew 11 percent from Q1 last year to $15.4 million. Royalty and license revenue grew 11 percent to $15.2 million. Profit grew to $1.9 million from $1.7 million. Immersion shares closed 2.4 percent lower Friday at $10.52. Fifty percent of Immersion Q1 revenue came from the mobility segment, while 33 percent was from gaming, 13 percent from medical and 4 percent from the auto segment, said Chief Financial Officer Paul Norris. That compared with Q1 last year, when mobility was 66 percent of revenue, gaming only 19 percent, medical 11 percent and auto 4 percent. Gaming revenue grew so much on the PS4 launch and strong holiday season sales by Immersion’s third-party peripheral customers, Viegas said Thursday. Immersion also continued to “make a substantial investment” in mobile content, he said. It’s “on track to launch commercially and achieve our first content” in media revenue “as early as” the end of 2014, he said. Immersion continued to engage with several “potential” mobile OEM customers in China where it’s “seeing great enthusiasm” for its latest technology demonstrations and an “understanding of how haptic technology can be a valuable product and platform differentiator,” he said. Immersion concluded the fact discovery phase of its lawsuit against HTC in U.S. District Court, Wilmington, Delaware, and it has moved into expert discovery, he said. The trial is scheduled to start March 23, he said. Immersion remained “extremely confident in our case,” he said. Immersion filed a complaint in February 2012 with the International Trade Commission claiming Motorola Mobility Android-based smartphones infringed on six Immersion patents covering various uses of haptic effects in connection with touchscreens. Immersion also filed a patent suit against Motorola Mobility in the same court. Immersion later added HTC to the complaints. Immersion then signed a settlement and license deal with Google and Motorola Mobility, resolving their patent dispute. Immersion is “in discussions with a number of licensees,” including LG, Viegas said Thursday. Immersion expects there will be some renewed licensing deals, in addition to some discussions that “don’t lead to renewals,” he said. Based on Immersion’s current outlook, it expects to report revenue for this fiscal year of $54 million-$62 million, an increase of 14-31 percent from last year, it said.
Haptic technology will be of growing importance in the wearable device market, Immersion CEO Victor Viegas predicted on an earnings call late Thursday. The company is working with its partners to “ensure that haptics is an integral part of the technology capabilities being established” for those devices, he said. Several new Samsung devices feature Immersion’s software, including the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smart watches and Gear Fit smart watch and fitness tracker, Immersion said earlier in the week (CED April 30 p10). Immersion revenue for Q1 ended March 31 grew 11 percent from Q1 last year to $15.4 million. Royalty and license revenue grew 11 percent to $15.2 million. Profit grew to $1.9 million from $1.7 million. Immersion shares closed 2.4 percent lower Friday at $10.52. Fifty percent of Immersion Q1 revenue came from the mobility segment, while 33 percent was from gaming, 13 percent from medical and 4 percent from the auto segment, said Chief Financial Officer Paul Norris. That compared with Q1 last year, when mobility was 66 percent of revenue, gaming only 19 percent, medical 11 percent and auto 4 percent (CED May 6/13 p8). Gaming revenue grew so much on the PS4 launch and strong holiday season sales by Immersion’s third-party peripheral customers, Viegas said Thursday. Immersion also continued to “make a substantial investment” in mobile content, he said. It’s “on track to launch commercially and achieve our first content” in media revenue “as early as” the end of 2014, he said. Immersion continued to engage with several “potential” mobile OEM customers in China where it’s “seeing great enthusiasm” for its latest technology demonstrations and an “understanding of how haptic technology can be a valuable product and platform differentiator,” he said. Immersion concluded the fact discovery phase of its lawsuit against HTC in U.S. District Court, Wilmington, Delaware, and it has moved into expert discovery, he said. The trial is scheduled to start March 23, he said. Immersion remained “extremely confident in our case,” he said. Immersion filed a complaint in February 2012 with the International Trade Commission claiming Motorola Mobility Android-based smartphones infringed on six Immersion patents covering various uses of haptic effects in connection with touchscreens. Immersion also filed a patent suit against Motorola Mobility in the same court. Immersion later added HTC to the complaints (CED March 15/12 p6). Immersion then signed a settlement and license deal with Google and Motorola Mobility, resolving their patent dispute (CED Nov 28/12 p10). Immersion is “in discussions with a number of licensees,” including LG, Viegas said Thursday. Immersion expects there will be some renewed licensing deals, in addition to some discussions that “don’t lead to renewals,” he said. Based on Immersion’s current outlook, it expects to report revenue for this fiscal year of $54 million-$62 million, an increase of 14-31 percent from last year, it said.
Rovi will continue its legal battles with Amazon and Liberty Global’s Virgin Media despite recent court rulings against Rovi, drawing on its base of interactive program guide (IPG-related patents, CEO Thomas Carson said on an earnings call.
Rovi will continue its legal battles with Amazon and Liberty Global’s Virgin Media despite recent court rulings against Rovi, drawing on its base of interactive program guide (IPG-related patents, CEO Thomas Carson said on an earnings call.
Some strides have been made against counterfeit CE products, parts and accessories, but such items continue to proliferate online, executives at CE manufacturers interviewed by Consumer Electronics Daily said this week. Canon stressed the importance of consumer education on the issue, during an anti-counterfeiting event at the New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn Thursday, where it displayed counterfeit Canon batteries and chargers.
The American Sugar Coalition’s claim that Mexican sugar imports have injured U.S. industry lacks merit and should be rejected by the International Trade Commission (ITC), said a number of private industry officials during a National Foreign Trade Council roundtable on April 28. The Commerce Department and ITC launched antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on Mexican sugar, in response to the American Sugar Coalition's petition in March (see 14042101). The ITC is due to make its preliminary determination on May 12.