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21 November 2016Patents

Hitachi Maxell aims at Huawei in patent suit

Japan-based consumer electronics company Hitachi Maxell has brought a lawsuit against Huawei, a telecommunications manufacturer.

The suit, filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Texarkana Division, on Friday, November 18, claimed that a number of Huawei’s mobile phones infringed Hitachi’s patents.

Huawei is alleged to have infringed six of Hitachi’s patents: US patent numbers 5,396,443; 7,509,139; 6,754,440; 6,928,292; 7,203,517; and 7,671,901.

Fusion 2, a mobile phone created by Huawei, has infringed the ‘443 patent which covers “information processing apparatus including arrangements for activation to and deactivation from a power-saving state”, according to the claim.

Hitachi explained that since June 2013 it has had numerous meetings and interactions with Huawei.

During these meetings, Hitachi provided Huawei’s representatives with “detailed information” regarding Hitachi’s patents, the technology that Hitachi had developed, and Huawei’s ongoing use of this patented technology.

“For nearly three years, Hitachi answered multiple inquiries from defendants, believing that a business transaction between the parties would be mutually beneficial,” said the suit.

But no agreement came of the discussions and, according to the claim, Huawei “continued…to make, use, sell and offer for sale Hitachi Maxell’s patented technology without licence”.

On the same day, at the same court, Hitachi filed a suit against telecommunications company ZTE, alleging the company had infringed eight of Hitachi’s patents.

Hitachi is seeking injunctive relief, compensatory damages, a finding of wilful infringement, triple damages, a judgment declaring the case is exceptional and a jury trial.

A spokesperson for Hitachi said that it has no comment on the suit at this stage.

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