14 DAY TRIAL // Anyone hoping that the year would end without a new patent war starting up will have to settle for a sigh of disappointment, for those hopes have been thoroughly dashed.
Samsung is, once again, the company making the headlines due to legal disputes, although at least this one is not against Apple.
Of course, that the company is involved in yet another legal fight besides that mess of a worldwide patent war doesn't exactly qualify as a reason for relief.
LG is the one whom the company is facing, and not because of OLED technology this time.
For those that want some background information, Samsung sued LG over alleged theft of OLED technology.
LG took offense, naturally, and promptly answered by suing Samsung over OLED technology too.
Samsung is now increasing the hostilities by adding liquid crystal display technology patents to the dispute.
The corporation claims that LG copied its plane-to-line switching (PLS) design, according to The Korea Times.
There is also a complaint saying that LG's AH-IPS technology, used in phones like Nitro HD, was adapted from PLS illegally.
“Samsung Display filed the lawsuit with the court last week,’’ a court spokesman toled the Korea Times by telephone.
“We patented the PLS technology in November 1997. But LG copied it. We are seeking a complete sales ban for consumer products manufactured by LG Display and LG Electronics that used those patents,” Samsung stated.
LG, naturally, is preparing a counterattack. Right now, it is reviewing legal papers though, so it will take a while.
At any rate, the two companies have already made it clear that they don't intend to back down. The world is in for another drawn-out patent war. Hopefully, it won't get quite as bizarre as the fight between Samsung and Apple. Sadly, the fact that this latest move has happened so close to Christmas doesn't fill us with hope.