DATE :
13-05-18
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Samsung SDI Brings an Action against Matsusita of Japan for Patent Infringement
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HIT :
2,940
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Source: Hankyung
Date: December 8, 2005
‘Second Round’ of Korea-Japan PDP Patent War
Recently the PDP (Plasma Display Panel) makers of Korea and Japan are fiercely competing in the expansion of production, entering into the second round of their patent war. On December 7, Samsung SDI said that it has raised a suit against Matsusita of Japan and its sister company Panasonic to the Los Angeles court of the USA for patent infringement. Samsung SDI said that the two companies had been accused of infringing 9 kinds of PDP-related technologies. It also added that it had applied to the Federal court of Pennsylvania, USA for an injunction of the two companies’ PDP product sale.
For the last yearlong period, Samsung SDI and Matsusita have made patent-related negotiations nine times, but failed to reach an agreement, finally going to law. This is the first time that a domestic company brings an action against Matsusita of Japan, a strong giant in the PDP field. Samsung SDI explained the reason why it had filed a suit to the U.S. court, saying “ The United States is the largest market in the digital TV, and also the judgment of a third nation’s court is more influential than that of a domestic court.”
Due to the Samsung SDI’s lawsuit against patent infringement, the patent war between Korea and Japan, which had been silent for a time, has been raised again. It is so because both nations had already experienced a fierce patent war last year. The Matsusita and FHP of Japan, the leaders in the PDP technology for a long time, had repeatedly and tenaciously take actions for patent infringement against LG Electronics and Samsung SDI, which are rapidly growing during the past several years. After a yearlong battle, both sides came to an agreement of cross licensing, thus keeping a mutually cooperative relationship since.
It is reported that this mutual cooperative relationship was possible because LCD is rapidly making inroads into the PDP market, becoming a strong enemy common to both of them. However, because of Samsung SDI’s litigation, the peaceful relationship between PDP makers of both countries for the last 8 months is now on the verge of being broken. If Matsusita decides to file a cross action against Samsung SDI, the reoccurrence of the patent disputes between two nations’ PDP makers is inevitable. By means of this lawsuit, Samsung SDI aims to declare its technical superiority over the Japanese PDP makers, also checking Matsusita’s efforts to take the place of No. 1 PDP producer.
Lately the big three – Samsung SDI, LG Electronics, and Matsusita – are competing in expanding their production of PDP. Last September LG Electronics has entered into operation of the A3 line of producing 6 sheets from one sheet of a mother glass for the first time in the world, and immediately after this, Matsusita has announced its plan to introduce a new production line to produce 8 sheets from one sheet of a mother glass, thus acting on the offensive. In addition to this, Samsung SDI, the No. 1 PDP maker, is also preparing to operate the factory of a new production line, thus making the big three’s competition more heated.
In particular, Matsusita, which ranks third in the PDP production because of Samsung SDI, plans to increase its current production capacity from 295,000 sheets a month to 425,000 sheets until July next year, revealing its ambition to take the place of No. 1 position, and stirring up Samsung SDI. Because of this, it is reported that Samsung SDI has filed an action to the court in the USA, which is the largest market in PDP market, in an effort to take the hegemony over Matsusita.
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