OT US trade agency to launch Wolfson patent investigation
MARK SMITH November 18 2003
THE International Trade Commission, a US agency, is to launch an investigation into claims that Wolfson MicroElectronics infringed two patents of US rival Cirrus Logic.
Wolfson, the Edinburgh-based chipmaker and newest technology darling of the stock market, declined to comment yesterday beyond a statement on its website.
Unusually, the company did not announce news of the move by the ITC to the London Stock Exchange until 3.14pm yesterday.
A spokesman yesterday morning had insisted it had no intention of making an announcement on the ITC development to the exchange.
When asked for clarification, he said he was "not in a position to comment".
However, following the apparent change of heart and the subsequent announcement to the Stock Exchange, Wolfson's share price ended the day down 2.9%, or 9.25p, at 243p.
Texas-based Cirrus, which has filed a lawsuit against Wolfson, claims that 15 of the Edinburgh audio and video chipmaker's products infringe two US patents owned by Cirrus.
Wolfson's statement said: "The ITC's decision to undertake this investigation in no way alters Wolfson's belief that Cirrus's allegations do not have merit, and Wolfson will pursue a vigorous defence against
Cirrus's claims in this and any other action.
"Wolfson has notified Cirrus that it does not violate this patent and has provided Cirrus with information that questions the appropriateness of asserting this patent against Wolfson or anyone else."
The company added: "The ITC routinely investigates complaints of alleged infringement it receives, so Wolfson anticipated the ITC's action to initiate the investigation."
Cirrus's claims first appeared last month – just days before Wolfson was due to float in what was billed as the biggest technology flotation on the main London market for three years.
Specifically, the Cirrus complaint alleges "violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain audio digital-to-analog converters and products containing same that infringe a patent owned by Cirrus".
The Texas company has also requested that the ITC issues "a permanent exclusion order and a permanent cease and desist order", effectively barring Wolfson's allegedly offensive products from the US.
Wolfson, whose chief executive is David Milne, supplies audio and video chips that are used in the Microsoft Xbox games console, the Apple iPod MP3 player, as well as in DVD players, palmtop computers and other entertainment systems.
When asked which specific chips were in question, a spokesman for Cirrus said: "They are audio chips, but I cannot say which particular products they are in. They are chips that we developed, which they have infringed and we filed suit accordingly."
The ITC investigation process is expected to last at least 12 months.
THE International Trade Commission, a US agency, is to launch an investigation into claims that Wolfson MicroElectronics infringed two patents of US rival Cirrus Logic.
Wolfson, the Edinburgh-based chipmaker and newest technology darling of the stock market, declined to comment yesterday beyond a statement on its website.
Unusually, the company did not announce news of the move by the ITC to the London Stock Exchange until 3.14pm yesterday.
A spokesman yesterday morning had insisted it had no intention of making an announcement on the ITC development to the exchange.
When asked for clarification, he said he was "not in a position to comment".
However, following the apparent change of heart and the subsequent announcement to the Stock Exchange, Wolfson's share price ended the day down 2.9%, or 9.25p, at 243p.
Texas-based Cirrus, which has filed a lawsuit against Wolfson, claims that 15 of the Edinburgh audio and video chipmaker's products infringe two US patents owned by Cirrus.
Wolfson's statement said: "The ITC's decision to undertake this investigation in no way alters Wolfson's belief that Cirrus's allegations do not have merit, and Wolfson will pursue a vigorous defence against
Cirrus's claims in this and any other action.
"Wolfson has notified Cirrus that it does not violate this patent and has provided Cirrus with information that questions the appropriateness of asserting this patent against Wolfson or anyone else."
The company added: "The ITC routinely investigates complaints of alleged infringement it
THE International Trade Commission, a US agency, is to launch an investigation into claims that Wolfson MicroElectronics infringed two patents of US rival Cirrus Logic.
Wolfson, the Edinburgh-based chipmaker and newest technology darling of the stock market, declined to comment yesterday beyond a statement on its website.
Unusually, the company did not announce news of the move by the ITC to the London Stock Exchange until 3.14pm yesterday.
A spokesman yesterday morning had insisted it had no intention of making an announcement on the ITC development to the exchange.
When asked for clarification, he said he was "not in a position to comment".
However, following the apparent change of heart and the subsequent announcement to the Stock Exchange, Wolfson's share price ended the day down 2.9%, or 9.25p, at 243p.
Texas-based Cirrus, which has filed a lawsuit against Wolfson, claims that 15 of the Edinburgh audio and video chipmaker's products infringe two US patents owned by Cirrus.
Wolfson's statement said: "The ITC's decision to undertake this investigation in no way alters Wolfson's belief that Cirrus's allegations do not have merit, and Wolfson will pursue a vigorous defence against
Cirrus's claims in this and any other action.
"Wolfson has notified Cirrus that it does not violate this patent and has provided Cirrus with information that questions the appropriateness of asserting this patent against Wolfson or anyone else."
The company added: "The ITC routinely investigates complaints of alleged infringement it receives, so Wolfson anticipated the ITC's action to initiate the investigation."
Cirrus's claims first appeared last month – just days before Wolfson was due to float in what was billed as the biggest technology flotation on the main London market for three years.
Specifically, the Cirrus complaint alleges "violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain audio digital-to-analog converters and products containing same that infringe a patent owned by Cirrus".
The Texas company has also requested that the ITC issues "a permanent exclusion order and a permanent cease and desist order", effectively barring Wolfson's allegedly offensive products from the US.
Wolfson, whose chief executive is David Milne, supplies audio and video chips that are used in the Microsoft Xbox games console, the Apple iPod MP3 player, as well as in DVD players, palmtop computers and other entertainment systems.
When asked which specific chips were in question, a spokesman for Cirrus said: "They are audio chips, but I cannot say which particular products they are in. They are chips that we developed, which they have infringed and we filed suit accordingly."
The ITC investigation process is expected to last at least 12 months.
THE International Trade Commission, a US agency, is to launch an investigation into claims that Wolfson MicroElectronics infringed two patents of US rival Cirrus Logic.
Wolfson, the Edinburgh-based chipmaker and newest technology darling of the stock market, declined to comment yesterday beyond a statement on its website.
Unusually, the company did not announce news of the move by the ITC to the London Stock Exchange until 3.14pm yesterday.
A spokesman yesterday morning had insisted it had no intention of making an announcement on the ITC development to the exchange.
When asked for clarification, he said he was "not in a position to comment".
However, following the apparent change of heart and the subsequent announcement to the Stock Exchange, Wolfson's share price ended the day down 2.9%, or 9.25p, at 243p.
Texas-based Cirrus, which has filed a lawsuit against Wolfson, claims that 15 of the Edinburgh audio and video chipmaker's products infringe two US patents owned by Cirrus.
Wolfson's statement said: "The ITC's decision to undertake this investigation in no way alters Wolfson's belief that Cirrus's allegations do not have merit, and Wolfson will pursue a vigorous defence against
Cirrus's claims in this and any other action.
"Wolfson has notified Cirrus that it does not violate this patent and has provided Cirrus with information that questions the appropriateness of asserting this patent against Wolfson or anyone else."
The company added: "The ITC routinely investigates complaints of alleged infringement it receives, so Wolfson anticipated the ITC's action to initiate the investigation."
Cirrus's claims first appeared last month – just days before Wolfson was due to float in what was billed as the biggest technology flotation on the main London market for three years.
Specifically, the Cirrus complaint alleges "violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain audio digital-to-analog converters and products containing same that infringe a patent owned by Cirrus".
The Texas company has also requested that the ITC issues "a permanent exclusion order and a permanent cease and desist order", effectively barring Wolfson's allegedly offensive products from the US.
Wolfson, whose chief executive is David Milne, supplies audio and video chips that are used in the Microsoft Xbox games console, the Apple iPod MP3 player, as well as in DVD players, palmtop computers and other entertainment systems.
When asked which specific chips were in question, a spokesman for Cirrus said: "They are audio chips, but I cannot say which particular products they are in. They are chips that we developed, which they have infringed and we filed suit accordingly."
The ITC investigation process is expected to last at least 12 months.
THE International Trade Commission, a US agency, is to launch an investigation into claims that Wolfson MicroElectronics infringed two patents of US rival Cirrus Logic.
Wolfson, the Edinburgh-based chipmaker and newest technology darling of the stock market, declined to comment yesterday beyond a statement on its website.
Unusually, the company did not announce news of the move by the ITC to the London Stock Exchange until 3.14pm yesterday.
A spokesman yesterday morning had insisted it had no intention of making an announcement on the ITC development to the exchange.
When asked for clarification, he said he was "not in a position to comment".
However, following the apparent change of heart and the subsequent announcement to the Stock Exchange, Wolfson's share price ended the day down 2.9%, or 9.25p, at 243p.
Texas-based Cirrus, which has filed a lawsuit against Wolfson, claims that 15 of the Edinburgh audio and video chipmaker's products infringe two US patents owned by Cirrus.
Wolfson's statement said: "The ITC's decision to undertake this investigation in no way alters Wolfson's belief that Cirrus's allegations do not have merit, and Wolfson will pursue a vigorous defence against
Cirrus's claims in this and any other action.
"Wolfson has notified Cirrus that it does not violate this patent and has provided Cirrus with information that questions the appropriateness of asserting this patent against Wolfson or anyone else."
The company added: "The ITC routinely investigates complaints of alleged infringement it receives, so Wolfson anticipated the ITC's action to initiate the investigation."
Cirrus's claims first appeared last month – just days before Wolfson was due to float in what was billed as the biggest technology flotation on the main London market for three years.
Specifically, the Cirrus complaint alleges "violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain audio digital-to-analog converters and products containing same that infringe a patent owned by Cirrus".
The Texas company has also requested that the ITC issues "a permanent exclusion order and a permanent cease and desist order", effectively barring Wolfson's allegedly offensive products from the US.
Wolfson, whose chief executive is David Milne, supplies audio and video chips that are used in the Microsoft Xbox games console, the Apple iPod MP3 player, as well as in DVD players, palmtop computers and other entertainment systems.
When asked which specific chips were in question, a spokesman for Cirrus said: "They are audio chips, but I cannot say which particular products they are in. They are chips that we developed, which they have infringed and we filed suit accordingly."
The ITC investigation process is expected to last at least 12 months.
