The International Trade Commission has voted to institute a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain coenzyme Q10 products and method of making same (used in "heart healthy" nutritional supplements and in "anti-aging" cosmetics), pursuant to a complaint filed by Kaneka Corporation of Japan against Zhejiang Medicine Co., Ltd.; ZMC-USA, LLC; Xiamen Kingdomway Group Company; Pacific Rainbow International, Inc.; Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.; Maypro Industries, Inc.; and Shenzhou Biology & Technology Co., Ltd. (Inv. No. 337-TA-790). (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/22/11 news, 11062238, for BP summary of ITC receiving this patent complaint.)
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has announced decisions not to initiate two “Section 301” investigations1. The decisions are in response to separate petitions filed in May 2011 requesting investigation of alleged: (i) misconduct by the Government of Israel during the negotiation in the 1980s of the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement; and (ii) expropriations without adequate compensation by the Dominican Republic, resulting in an alleged breach of the Dominican Republic’s obligations under the DR-CAFTA2, etc.
The International Trade Commission has voted to institute a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain motion-sensitive sound effects devices and image display devices and components and products containing same, including various types of electronic devices, such as cellular phones, computers, toys, and video games, pursuant to a complaint filed by Ogma, LLC, of Longview, TX against 16 respondents, including Toshiba Corporation of Japan and Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., of Irvine,CA (Inv. No. 337-TA-787). (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/17/11 news, 11061761, for BP summary of ITC receiving this patent complaint.)
The International Trade Commission has voted to institute a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain integrated circuits, chipsets, and products containing same including televisions, pursuant to a complaint filed by Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., of Austin, TX against Funai Electric Co., Ltd., of Japan; Funai Corporation, Inc., of Rutherford, NJ; MediaTek Inc. of Taiwan; and Zoran Corporation of Sunnyvale, CA (Inv. No. 337-TA-786). (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/14/11 news, 11061456, for BP summary of ITC receiving this patent complaint.)
The International Trade Commission is terminating the Section 337 patent-based investigation of certain flash memory and products containing the same (337-TA-685), which was based on a complaint filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. of Korea against 12 respondents. The ITC has determined to grant a consent motion to terminate the investigation based upon settlement. (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/02/09 and 03/09/11 news, 09090240 and 11030950, for BP summaries of the institution of this patent investigation, and a request for public interest comments.)
The International Trade Commission is terminating the Section 337 patent-based investigation of certain electronic devices, including mobile phones, portable music players, and computers (337-TA-701), which was based on a complaint filed by Nokia Corporation of Finland and Nokia Inc. of White Plains, New York against Apple, Inc., of Cupertino, CA. The ITC has determined to grant the joint motion by the complainants and respondent to terminate the investigation on the basis of a settlement agreement. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/27/11 news, 10012725, for BP summary of the institution of this patent investigation.)
Despite significant strides, the videogame industry still faces several challenges, including piracy and a Canadian tariff that the Entertainment Software Association said “would expose publishers to additional royalties” for music used in games when they're distributed online, said its annual report released Wednesday. The report was released a week after the Supreme Court handed the game industry a major victory, ruling 7-2 that California’s violent videogame law was unconstitutional (CED June 28 p1).
Despite significant strides, the videogame industry still faces several challenges, including piracy and a Canadian tariff that the Entertainment Software Association said “would expose publishers to additional royalties” for music used in games when they're distributed online, said its annual report released Wednesday. The report was released a week after the Supreme Court handed the game industry a major victory, ruling 7-2 that California’s violent videogame law was unconstitutional (WID June 28 p2).
The Court of International Trade has ruled in CBB Group, Inc., v. U.S., that its consideration of cases involving "deemed exclusions" and its ability to order relief, if warranted, is not precluded by CBP's issuance of a Seizure Notice (as it was issued after the case was brought to court) or by the prospect that adjudication of claims will involve the application of copyright law.
Kodak said it was “gratified” that the U.S. International Trade Commission modified key findings, in response to a Kodak request, of an initial recommendation in Kodak’s patent infringement claim against Apple and Research In Motion (RIM). The ITC extended the target date for a final ruling until Aug. 30. The patent at issue relates to a method Kodak invented for previewing images. Kodak initially filed an ITC complaint against Apple and RIM in 2010, asserting that iPhones and RIM’s camera-enabled BlackBerry devices infringe the Kodak patent. Kodak said the patent was validated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in December. The company said it has licensed the patent to companies including LG, MEI/Panasonic, Motorola, Nokia, Olympus, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, Sony and Sony Ericsson. Kodak also has federal court actions pending against RIM and Apple in Texas and New York over the same patent and additional infringement claims, it said. The Texas case is to begin Aug. 1.