CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The TPL Group announced today that it has filed a Complaint with the US International Trade Commission and a corresponding Complaint in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against 18 companies it believes are infringing its CORE Flash Patent Portfolio. CORE Flash technology generally relates to products capable of reading multiple flash media card types.
TPL has moved aggressively to protect both the investments of its CORE Flash licensee community, as well as TPL's own OnSpec semiconductor line. CORE Flash Portfolio licensees rely on access to TPL's flash memory control and reader technology for cost-effective solutions to the problems associated with the proliferation of competing flash card media standards. The OnSpec product range of I/O solutions includes controllers for managing multiple flash media card types.
TPL's three-pronged strategy includes: (1) a Complaint filed with the US International Trade Commission seeking an Exclusion Order prohibiting the importation of unlicensed products; (2) a parallel action in US District Court seeking damages for past infringement that includes past un-paid royalties -- plus the interest which has accrued on those royalties -- both tripled for willful infringement, plus attorney's fees; and, (3) the pursuit of injunctions in both the US District Court and the ITC barring the sale of infringing products in the United States in the future.
The ITC and District Court Complaints name a total of 18 companies, including Action Electronics Co., Ltd., Aiptek International Inc., Aluratek, Inc., Audiovox Corporation, CEIVA Logic, Inc., Circus World Displays Ltd., Coby Electronics Corporation, Curtis International, Ltd., Digital Spectrum Solutions, Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, Mustek Systems, Inc., Nextar Inc., Pandigital, Royal Consumer Information Products, Inc., Sony Corporation, Transcend Information, Inc., Viewsonic Corporation and WinAccord, Ltd.
Commenting on TPL's decision to move aggressively to protect both is CORE Flash licensees, and its CORE Flash semiconductor products, TPL Founder and Chairman Dan Leckrone said: "The opportunity to purchase the right to use existing technology such as CORE Flash without having had to incur the upfront cost and risk of developing the technology is an excellent business opportunity, and it is more than unfortunate when Multi-national Corporations misappropriate technology developed by American small businesses, and then stone-wall those same small businesses when it comes time to pay for the use of their innovations."
About the CORE Flash Portfolio
The CORE Flash Portfolio contains intellectual property that was developed and productized by the OnSpec Division of The TPL Group. The Portfolio includes 32 US and international patents, and nine pending patent applications. The CORE Flash Portfolio technologies protect key aspects of flash-memory management and control, including software, firmware, hardware, and mechanical designs.
About The TPL Group
Founded in 1988, The TPL Group has evolved as a coalition of technology-based enterprises dedicated to the development, management and commercialization of proprietary technology, and the design, manufacture and sales of proprietary products based on those IP assets. Among the advanced products that TPL brings to market are multi-core microprocessors, memory management and control devices, advanced hearing and listening solutions, energy efficient computing architectures, encryption storage products, sub-wavelength acoustic transducers, wafer-level packaging, and solderless pcb-assembly technology.
For more information please visit www.tplgroup.net
Contacts
TPL Group
Rose Ramos, 408-446-4222