Last month, according to news reports, a legal battle between Samsung and Fujitsu over plasma display products escalated to the next level after Fujitsu sued its competitor for patent violations relating to its line of plasma panels. The two companies began battle when Samsung filed a different lawsuit questioning Fujitsu’s rights to the panel display patents.
What started out as a dispute on American legal soil has now morphed into an international dispute. Samsung’s initial lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles, while Fujitsu’s recent suit was filed in both Los Angeles and Tokyo.
Both companies refused comment on the respective lawsuits filed against them.
Of Fujitsu’s more than 800 patents related to the plasma display panel industry, the suit seems to be centered on the 21-inch plasma display panels that have been unveiled by Fujitsu in recent months. Fujitsu claims it is the first full-color PDP in that size to hit the market.
This legal battle pits the two top PDP manufacturers thus far in this fast-growing market segment’s early development. Fujitsu formed a partnership with Hitachi several months ago. The joint venture commands nearly a quarter of the plasma display global marketshare, while Samsung accounts for 20 percent to rank second. The results of this lawsuit maybe a determining factor on how the plasma display industry shapes up. The market for these products is expected to experience dramatic growth in the next few years.
For more info: www.fujitsu.com and www.samsung.com.
