On March 29, 2010, the U.S. International Trade Commission issued a press release announcing that it voted to institute an investigation of Certain Integrated Circuits, Chipsets, and Products Containing Same Including Televisions, Media Players, and Cameras (Inv. No. 337-TA-709).

The investigation is based on a March 1, 2010 complaint and March 18, 2010 letter supplementing the complaint filed by Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. of Austin, Texas alleging violation of Section 337 in the importation into the U.S. and sale of certain integrated circuits, chipsets, and products including same that allegedly infringe certain claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,467,455, 5,715,014, and 7,199,306.  See our March 2, 2010 post for more details.

According to the Notice of Investigation, the Commission has identified the following entities as the respondents in this investigation:

• Panasonic Corporation of Japan


• Panasonic Semiconductor Discrete Devices Co. Ltd. of Japan


• Panasonic Corporation of North America of Secaucus, New Jersey


• Funai Corporation, Inc. of Rutherford, New Jersey


• Funai Electric Co., Ltd. of Japan


• JVC Kenwood Holding, Inc. of Japan


• Victor Company of Japan, Limited of Japan


• JVC Americas Corp. of Wayne, New Jersey


• Best Buy Co., Inc. of Richfield, Minnesota


• B & H Foto & Electronics Corp. of New York, New York


• Huppin's Hi-Fi Photo & Video, Inc. of Spokane, Washington


• Buy.com Inc. of Aliso Viejo, California


• Liberty Media Corporation of Englewood, California


• QVC, Inc. of West Chester, Pennsylvania


• Crutchfield Corporation of Charlottesville, Virginia


• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. of Bentonville, Arkansas


• Computer Nerds International, Inc. of Miami, Florida

Further, Benjamin Levi of the Office of Unfair Import Investigations is identified on the Notice of Investigation as the Investigative Attorney assigned to handle this investigation.

Lastly, Chief ALJ Paul J. Luckern issued a notice indicating that ALJ Charles E. Bullock will be the presiding Administrative Law Judge in this investigation.