Sharp filed a lawsuit on August 6 alleging infringements of five of its patents on LCD-related technology by Samsung Electronics and its US subsidiaries Samsung Electronics America (SEA) and Samsung Telecommunications America (STA). The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Sharp introduced the Aquos LCD TV in 2001. The company started manufacturing large-size LCD TV in 2004 at its Kameyama Plant in Japan, an integrated LCD TV production facility, incorporating all aspects of the production process from manufacture of LCD modules to final assembly of LCD TVs.

Sharp has negotiated in good faith with Samsung for an LCD patent license since 2006, but has regrettably been unable to resolve this matter through negotiations. As a result, the company was compelled to file the current lawsuit to protect its intellectual property.

The five US patents owned by Sharp involved in the lawsuit are all related to LCD modules:

-USP4,649,383: Driving method for improving contrast ratio of LCD

-USP5,760,855: Guard wiring to prevent static-induced damage to LCD

-USP6,052,162: Formation of electrode so as to improve display quality of LCD

-USP7,027,024: Driving device for improving display quality of LCD

-USP7,057,689: LCD having optical film for achieving wide viewing angle by compensating a phase difference

TransDigital