近來,液晶電視的專利訴訟,有愈演愈烈之勢。尤其,美國液晶電視第一品牌Vizio愈戰愈勇,以一家對抗三家:索尼、樂金、船井。
表一、Vizio控告樂金
提告日期
|
原告
|
地點
|
案號
|
2009年06月05日
|
Vizio, Inc
|
the District of Maryland
馬里蘭地院
|
1:09-cv-01481
|
被告
|
LG Electronics Inc
LG Electronics USA Inc
|
系爭專利
|
US5511096: Quadrature amplitude modulated data for standard bandwidth television channel
US5621761: Rotationally Invariant Trellis Coding Incorporating Transparent Binary Convolutional Codes
US5703887: Synchronization and Error Detection in a Packetized Data Stream
US5745522: Randomizer for Byte-Wise Scrambling of Data
US5511082: Punctured Convolutional Encoder
US5396518: Apparatus and Method for Communicating Digital Data Using Trellis Coding with Punctured Convolutional Codes
US5233629: Method and Apparatus for Communicating Digital Data using Trellis Coded QAM
|
爭議議題
|
數位電視(digital televisions)
|
下載
|
訴狀 (2009年06月05日)
|
Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理,2009/06。
|
表二、系爭專利:Vizio控告樂金
Publication |
Title |
Assignee |
Pub. Date |
Filed |
Priority |
IPC Code |
US5233629 |
Method and apparatus for communicating digital data using trellis coded QAM |
General Instrument Corporation |
1993-08-03 |
1991-07-26 |
1991-07-26 |
H03M 13/25 |
US5396518 |
Apparatus and method for communicating digital data using trellis coding with punctured convolutional codes |
GI Corporation |
1995-03-07 |
1993-05-05 |
1993-05-05 |
H03M 7/36 |
US5511082 |
Punctured convolutional encode |
General Instrument Corporation of Delaware |
1996-04-23 |
1994-05-10 |
1994-05-10 |
H03M 13/23 |
US5511096 |
Quadrature amplitude modulated data for standard bandwidth television channel |
GI Corporation |
1996-04-23 |
1994-01-18 |
1994-01-18 |
H04N 7/26 |
US5621761 |
Rotationally invariant trellis coding incorporating transparent binary convolutional codes |
General Instrument Corporation of Delaware |
1997-04-15 |
1994-12-09 |
1994-12-09 |
H04N 7/30 |
US5703887 |
Synchronization and error detection in a packetized data stream |
General Instrument Corporation of Delaware |
1997-12-30 |
1994-12-23 |
1994-12-23 |
H04N 7/26 |
US5745522 |
Randomizer for byte-wise scrambling of data |
General Instrument Corporation of Delaware |
1998-04-28 |
1995-11-09 |
1995-11-09 |
H04L 25/03 |
表三、船井控告Vizio
提告日期
|
原告
|
地點
|
案號
|
2009年06月05日
|
Funai Electric Company
Funai Corporation, Inc.
(船井)
|
the Southern District of California
|
3:09-cv-01224
|
被告
|
Vizio, Inc.
|
系爭專利
|
US5511096: Quadrature amplitude modulated data for standard bandwidth television channel
US5621761: Rotationally Invariant Trellis Coding Incorporating Transparent Binary Convolutional Codes
US5703887: Synchronization and Error Detection in a Packetized Data Stream
US75745522: Randomizer for Byte-Wise Scrambling of Data
US5511082: Punctured Convolutional Encoder
US5396518: Apparatus and Method for Communicating Digital Data Using Trellis Coding with Punctured Convolutional Codes
US5233629: Method and Apparatus for Communicating Digital Data using Trellis Coded QAM
|
爭議議題
|
Vizio所擁有該7件專利無效。
|
下載
|
訴狀 (2009年06月05日)
|
Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理,2009/06。
|
表四、系爭專利:船井控告Vizio
Publication |
Title |
Assignee |
Pub. Date |
Filed |
Priority |
IPC Code |
US5233629 |
Method and apparatus for communicating digital data using trellis coded QAM |
General Instrument Corporation |
1993-08-03 |
1991-07-26 |
1991-07-26 |
H03M 13/25 |
US5396518 |
Apparatus and method for communicating digital data using trellis coding with punctured convolutional codes |
GI Corporation |
1995-03-07 |
1993-05-05 |
1993-05-05 |
H03M 7/36 |
US5511082 |
Punctured convolutional encode |
General Instrument Corporation of Delaware |
1996-04-23 |
1994-05-10 |
1994-05-10 |
H03M 13/23 |
US5511096 |
Quadrature amplitude modulated data for standard bandwidth television channel |
GI Corporation |
1996-04-23 |
1994-01-18 |
1994-01-18 |
H04N 7/26 |
US5621761 |
Rotationally invariant trellis coding incorporating transparent binary convolutional codes |
General Instrument Corporation of Delaware |
1997-04-15 |
1994-12-09 |
1994-12-09 |
H04N 7/30 |
US5703887 |
Synchronization and error detection in a packetized data stream |
General Instrument Corporation of Delaware |
1997-12-30 |
1994-12-23 |
1994-12-23 |
H04N 7/26 |
Vizio控告樂金
2009年6月5日Vizio於美國馬里蘭地方法院控告樂金(LG Electronics Inc),侵犯了Vizio所擁有的7件專利(US5511096、US5621761、US5703887、US5745522、US5511082、US5396518、US5233629) 。Vizio宣稱被告侵犯了其數位電視(digital televisions)的製造、使用、銷售和進口的專利權。被告的行為有意識和故意忽視(Conscious and Willful Disregard)侵犯了VIZIO的專利權,由此造成的損害,VIZIO向樂金求取三倍的損害賠償。Vizio不排除向被告更進一步要求永久禁制令(Permanent Injunction)以禁止進一步侵權行為。
據本網站調查Vizio所擁有該7件專利,都是經由專利轉讓向GI (General Instrument Corporation)公司取得。
船井控告Vizio
同一天,2009年6月5日船井(Funai)於南加州地院控告Vizio,提出專利確認之訴狀(Complaint for Declaratory Relief),宣稱並未侵犯Vizio所擁有的7件專利 (US5511096、US5621761、US5703887、US75745522、US5511082、US5396518、US5233629) 。船井提出救濟請求(Prayer for Relief),提出Vizio所擁有該7件專利無效,船井也未侵犯這些專利。船井宣稱 ITC 已於今年4月15日裁定Vizio侵犯了船井的專利,並限制Vizio的DTV產品進口美國市場。
據本網站調查,本案船井控告Vizio的訴訟,係針對上個月(5月20日) Vizio提告船井的訟案(案號2:09-cv-00236)的反擊。液晶電視訴訟之爭,可參考【液晶電視訴訟地圖:Vizio與船井、索尼】。
評析:
- 以Vizio為新進入者(New Entrants)的競爭策略,面對技術領導大廠的全力圍堵的存亡之際,Vizio在極短時間內,採開放式創新向外購得可打戰的專利,壯大自己來抗敵。以金錢換取時間及空間的戰略成功與否,仍要有許多專業及主客觀條件配合。但是至少,Vizio能在極短時間內,化被動為主動攻擊,表現已是可圈可點。
- 這2案件7件系爭專利,Vizio都是經由專利轉讓向GI (General Instrument Corporation)公司取得,也突顯出Vizio自我研發能力待強化的問題。
- 企業智財戰略的規劃,宜應及早進行,應視為企業營運的很重要部分,尤其是走品牌路線的廠商。否則,辛苦賺來的毛利抵不過高額賠償金。
(本文:720字;表2:330字)
參考資料:US District Court of Maryland (2009)。上網日期:2009年6月08日,取自:http://www.mdd.uscourts.gov/
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