On December 30, 2009, the U.S. International Trade Commission issued a press release announcing that it voted to institute an investigation of Certain Liquid Crystal Display Devices and Products Containing The Same (Inv. No. 337-TA-699).

The investigation is based on a December 1, 2009 complaint and December 16, 2009 letter supplementing the complaint filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. of Korea alleging violation of Section 337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and/or the sale within the United States after importation of certain liquid crystal display (“LCD”) devices and products containing the same which allegedly infringe certain claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,844,533, 6,888,585, and 7,436,479.  See our December 3 post for more details.

According to the Notice of Investigation, the Commission has identified Sharp Corporation of Japan, Sharp Electronics Corporation of Mahwah, New Jersey, and Sharp Electronics Manufacturing Company of America, Inc. of San Diego, California as respondents in this investigation.

Additionally, Daniel L. Girdwood of the Office of Unfair Import Investigations is identified on the Notice of Investigation as the Investigative Attorney assigned to handle this investigation.