PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
A court in the Hague has overturned a previous order against Sony which resulted in the banning of PlayStation 3 imports to Europe and the seizure of thousands of consoles by customs authorities.
IP activist and blogger Florian Mueller wrote on the Foss Patents blog that the court had lifted the prejudgement seizure order and Korean electronics giant LG was facing a 130,000 euro legal bill.
The dispute over patents relating to the playback of Blu-ray discs is part of a wider set of IP disputes between the electronics rivals, also encompasing televisions and smartphones.
The Sony win only relates to the prejudgement seizer, in which around 300,000 PlayStation 3s were seized in the Netherlands. The legal proceedings to decide if Sony is infringing on LG patents has yet to begin and is not affected by the order.
The court session to decide the case will not begin until the 18th of November. LG is reportedly looking for around $2.50 in royalties for every Blue-ray device shipped.
According to a Gamer.nl report, Sony’s legal representative refuted LG claims that Sony would not negotiate over patents, claiming instead that the company was willing to negotiate "but not with a knife at the throat."
