Sharp Sues Samsung Over LCD Patents

bongobob, post: 294458
What does any of this have to do with speakers?

Not everything around here revolves around speakers, in spite of the fact that this place is called “Audioholics.”

Besides, hemiran's story speaks to the fact that these types of lawsuits are bad for consumers as they drive up prices, decrease market availability of newer technologies, etc. On the flip side, companies do need to protect the investments they made in order to bring these technologies to market. So, it is indeed a relevant post.

These kinds of lawsuits between companies making similar products seem to be happening more and more frequently, but most are settled quickly. A famous, or infamous one involved the Japan Radio Company (JRC), and ICOM, both makers of ham radio equipment (among other things) In 1979, JRC made their first “consumer” shortwave receiver, the NRD-515. Numerous patents were granted to JRC involving this receiver, and one of them was for the Passband Tuning (PBT) circuit. This is a feature that comes only on better quality receivers and tranceivers, and is amazingly helpful dealing with interference, it works as a kind of a sliding “window” that allows the listener to minimize a signal to one side of the desired one by moving the “window”, so the receiver doesn't “see it”. It makes a huge difference sometimes, and it was a huge plus for it to be included in a “budget receiver”, that cost less than $1000 or so back at that time.

In 1985 Icom introduced the IC-R71A receiver, and it included a PBT circuit very similar to the one used on the NRD-515. The R-71A originally cost less than half what the NRD-515 (App $1400) cost. JRC almost immediately began squawking, and talks went sour, so they finally filed suit. It took a long time to resolve, and Icom lost the case, having to pay JRC so much per receiver, and the same for each new one they made using that circuit. In a truly boneheaded move, Icom just yanked the PBT from the R-71A, totally killing sales of new ones, and making used ones go up in price. The R-71A was a huge seller, and after about a year, Icom cracked and put it back in. When the R71A was discontinued in 1997 or so, it was like $1200, double it's original price, partly due to the JRC lawsuit.

No Icom receiver since has matched the “bang for the buck” as the R-71A. The R75 was popular, but since there are so many used R71A's around, it's hurt R75 sales. Besides that, the R71A looks a lot better and feels more “expensive” than the R75 does.

Hopefully this can be settled soon. I would be shocked if this goes to trial.