LG Settles With Klausner

Earlier this week, we reported that Google had agreed to settle their suit with Klausner Technologies.  That company, owned by Judah Klausner, owns a visual voicemail patent and had filed lawsuits against companies such as Apple, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless.  As reported by IntoMobile, LG has also followed the trend and agreed to settle with Klausner Technologies as well.

Visual voicemail allows someone to receive a message similar to an email whenever someone leaves a voicemail message.  These messages allow the user to selectively listen to messages.

LG decided to license this technology from Klausner because some of their phones, such as the LG Versa, incorporate this technology.  As Judah Klausner said, “We are pleased to announce LG as a Visual Voicemail licensee under our US and international VVM patents. Our patented technology, lets consumers view, prioritize and select voice messages from their mobile phones screens.”

LG Freezes Whirlpool in Refrigerator Case

A judge from the U.S. International Trade Commission has denied the final claim by Whirlpool Corporation regarding refrigerator products from LG Electronics.  The ruling, which was issued earlier today, states that LG refrigerators are not covered under one of Whirlpool’s patents.  Whirlpool had claimed that LG’s refrigerators had infringed on five of its patents, but Whirlpool withdrew four of the patents prior to trial.

“This decision proves that LG Electronics is truly a leader in providing innovative appliances for American consumers while promoting fair competition,” the president of LG Electronics Home Appliance Company, Y.H. Lee, said in a press release.

LG filed its own patent infringement case shortly after they were named in Whirlpool’s suit.  That case is scheduled for trial in March 2010, and LG is seeking damages as well as an injunction against certain Whirlpool products.

Samsung Responds to Kodak’s Patent Dispute

In November, Eastman Kodak filed a lawsuit with a U.S. District Court as well as with the U.S. International Trade Commission.  Kodak accused both Samsung and LG of infringing on the data compression and storage technologies  in Kodak’s mobile camera phone.  A month after the complaint was filed, the ITC voted to investigate the claims.  But according to FierceWireless, Samsung has responded by hitting Kodak with its own lawsuit.

Samsung is asking the ITC to block the importation of Eastman Kodak digital cameras.  The Korean-based company claims that Kodak’s cameras infringe on several patents.

The ITC can be a popular place for patent infringement cases, as it can stop the imports of items that infringe on U.S. patents.  One common example of wireless companies using the ITC is the battle between Qualcomm and Broadcom.  Both have filed numerous complaints with the government agency during their long-standing feud.

ITC Investigates Samsung & LG for Patent Infringement

The United States International Trade Commission has officially begun an investigation of Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.  PC World reports that the investigation is based on a complaint by Eastman Kodak stating that Samsung and LG have violated Kodak’s patents relating to digital camera phone technology.  The patents in question cover image capture, compression and data storage, as well as a method for previewing certain images.  Kodak, which receives a large portion of their revenue through licensing agreements, is asking the ITC to prevent Samsung and LG from importing and selling these products in the U.S.

Kodak originally sued LG and Samsung this past November.  At the time of the filing, LG defended its position by saying, “Our digital-camera technology is different from the one used by Kodak.  We haven’t infringed upon Kodak’s related patents.”  Now, the ITC will investigate those claims.  The ITC will set a target date for completing the investigation in 45 days.

Kodak has not named the specific products from either phone maker that supposedly infringe on the patents.  However, Kodak claims that in addition to filing their suit this past November, they first approached the two companies about the patents in 2004.  As of Tuesday afternoon, LG and Samsung had not commented on investigation.