USITC round-up: Lenovo under the spotlight
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is investigating Chinese electronics manufacturer Lenovo off the back of a patent infringement complaint from Nokia.
The trade body has also announced a probe into The Chamberlain Group, which oversees brands including the LiftMaster and Craftsman garage door systems, and is investigating a complaint by drinks bottle maker Hydro Flask.
Nokia finalised its complaint last month, accusing Lenovo of importing devices, such as tablets and computers, which infringe the Finnish telecoms company’s IP.
A Nokia spokesperson told WIPR: “Despite our significant efforts to agree fair royalty payments, Lenovo continues to use Nokia invented technologies without compensation.”
They continued: “Though we would have preferred a resolution through negotiation rather than legal proceedings, we had no option but to take action to protect our rights. We remain open for constructive dialogue with Lenovo over outstanding issues to reach a timely settlement on an amicable basis.”
A Lenovo spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by WIPR.
Elsewhere, The Chamberlain Group is facing patent infringement claims from Tennessee-based Overhead Door Corporation.
The dispute concerns “movable barrier operator systems”, such as those used in garage doors.
The Chamberlain Group asked the ITC to issue an expedited ruling on the eligibility of six Overhead Door patents, but the trade body declined to do so as the issue is “too complex” to resolve within 100 days.
Hydro Flask
Hydro Flask, which makes insulated steel water bottles, has also filed a complaint at the ITC, looking to crack down on alleged counterfeits from China.
“The proliferation of counterfeit goods in the market has exploded over the last few years for nearly all brands, including Hydro Flask,” said CEO Larry Witt.
He added: “Hydro Flask’s ITC filing represents an important step of our proactive brand protection strategy. The message is clear: we aim to stop the rampant and egregious violation of our IP at every level.”
Did you enjoy reading this story? Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories like this sent straight to your inbox.
Already registered?
Login to your account
If you don't have a login or your access has expired, you will need to purchase a subscription to gain access to this article, including all our online content.
For more information on individual annual subscriptions for full paid access and corporate subscription options please contact us.
To request a FREE 2-week trial subscription, please signup.
NOTE - this can take up to 48hrs to be approved.
For multi-user price options, or to check if your company has an existing subscription that we can add you to for FREE, please email Adrian Tapping at atapping@newtonmedia.co.uk