Strategy in TECH...
LG Electronics (LG) announced last week that they had prevailed in a patent infringement lawsuit they had filed against Chinese powerhouse TCL Communication Technology Limited and two other affiliated European entities in Germany. While this is just one of three suits brought by LG, it’s the first argued, resulting in a winning decision.
On Monday, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong – also known as JY Lee, J. Y. Lee or Jay Y. Lee – was sentenced to 2½ years in prison for his role in a bribery and embezzlement scheme to influence the President of South Korea in order to increase his share and power in the company. This development is big news in Korea. Samsung Electronics, part of the Samsung family of companies that is the largest conglomerate in South Korea, by itself represents almost 20% of the entire value of all exports from Korea.
In yet another sign of patent success for Sonos, major industry player Legrand has agreed to a multi-year licensing deal to cover the technology used in their Nuvo line of wireless multi-room products. This is yet another sign that tends to add to the growing power of the Sonos patent portfolio covering these technologies.
A hearing before a California federal judge brought an ugly exchange between attorneys for both Sonos and Google – with each side pointing their finger at the other and accusing them of bad faith. That attorneys got ugly against their counterparts is not in itself surprising. However, the speed with which this dispute devolved to that point was a surprise.
It must be really interesting in those Sonos and Google joint product development meetings, where the parties meet to discuss their partnership on the Google assistant technology built into Sonos products. You see, in addition to this product partnership, both companies are ensnarled in a nasty round of lawsuits accusing each other of various patent violations – with tactics and rhetoric heating up as each fired new salvos at the other just this week. On Monday, Google sued Sonos. On Tuesday, Sonos sued Google. This is getting serious…
VOXX International Corporation (NASDAQ:VOXX) revealed this week that they were the victim of a ransomware attack in July and that an assessment of the hack completed early this month shows that sensitive and confidential employee and contractor information has been compromised. The company has issued a warning to all employees and contractors who have worked for the company over the last 20-years.
Last week, several sharp-eyed Strata-gee readers forwarded the news that was initially erroneously reported that EVA Automation had filed for bankruptcy in Northern California. Actually, a search of court records revealed that a creditor of EVA Automation – Top Victory Investments Limited – has filed an action with the United States Bankruptcy Court in Northern California seeking to force EVA Automation into bankruptcy. EVA Automation, as most Strata-gee readers well know, is a former majority owner of Bowers & Wilkins (B&W).
This long and complex series of intertwined legal actions between Monster LLC (and all other Monster related parties) and Beats Electronics LLC (and all other Beats related entities) seemed to be winding down. Back in 2016, I reported on the lower court ruling in favor of Beats who had filed several motions for summary judgment. It seemed as though this was the end, but in 2018, more actions ensued.
Milwaukee, WI based Koss Corporation (NASDAQ:KOSS) last month launched a significant litigation effort against several major industry brands in an effort to assert and protect its IP portfolio rights. On July 22, 2020, Koss filed lawsuits against each of Apple, Inc., Bose Corporation, PEAG LLC dba JLAB Audio, Plantronics, Inc., and Skullcandy, Inc. Each of these auspicious brands, Koss says, are infringing on their patents covering wireless headphones and speakers.
Sonos Inc. and Lenbrook Industries announced today that they have reached a settlement agreement bringing the patent litigation brought by Sonos to a close. The agreement is confidential, so no terms were disclosed.
