MP3芯片厂商珠海炬力 遭美SigmaTel公司起诉

MP3芯片厂商珠海炬力 遭美SigmaTel公司起诉

     (华强电子世界网讯) 2005年1月5日，全球MP3控制芯片领导厂商美国SigmaTel发布公告，宣布已向美国奥斯汀市联邦法院提出法律诉讼，指控中国珠海炬力侵犯其多项用于MP3播放器的芯片专利。
    
     以下为美国SigmaTel的公告原文：
    
     SigmaTel, Inc. Sues Actions Semiconductor for MP3 Player Technology Patent Infringement AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2005--SigmaTel, Inc. (NASDAQ:SGTL) the Austin, Texas-based market leader for portable MP3 player technologies, filed suit in United States federal court on January 04, 2005 against Actions Semiconductor, based in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China, seeking to halt the infringement of SigmaTel's intellectual property rights.
    
     SigmaTel asserts that Actions Semiconductor infringed multiple SigmaTel patents in the design of System-on-Chip controllers for the Portable Digital Music player market. Actions' products have recently begun shipping into the United States retail market as components of MP3 players. SigmaTel seeks to stop shipment of products into the U.S. that use Actions Semiconductor integrated circuits or "ICs."
    
     In addition, SigmaTel is seeking Actions' payment of damages and an injunction to prohibit Actions design, manufacturing and selling the infringing MP3 IC's in the U.S. The court case was filed in Austin, Texas.
    
     "We are committed to taking whatever measures are necessary to protect the integrity of our company's intellectual property and our customer's products," said Ron Edgerton, chief executive officer and president of SigmaTel.
    
     "Patent protection is vital to sustaining healthy marketplace evolution and competition. Without such protection, no company would have the incentive to invest in research and development, which is an important driver of the semiconductor industry."
    
     Additionally, SigmaTel is strongly considering asking the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) to institute an Investigation pursuant to Section 337 in early 2005 based on the importation of the infringing MP3 ICs.
    
     SigmaTel will ask the ITC to grant all possible relief, including an exclusionary order, enforced by U.S. Customs, prohibiting the importation into the U.S. of MP3 players that contain Actions' MP3 ICs.
    
     Further, SigmaTel will ask the ITC to issue a cease-and-desist order requiring retailers and distributors to remove from their shelves and destroy all MP3 players containing Actions infringing MP3 ICs.
    
     SigmaTel introduced its first highly integrated MP3 IC more than three years ago and is currently working on its fourth generation solution. The company owns 41 issued U.S. patents and has more than 60 patent applications pending at the U.S. Patent Office, many of which are close to being issued.
    
     Additionally, the company is preparing or has identified more than 90 additional patents that can be filed with the U.S. Patent Office and selected foreign jurisdictions within the next few months.
    
     在公告中，美国SigmaTel认为珠海炬力侵犯了多项芯片专利，因此请求奥斯汀市联邦法院禁止使用珠海炬力主控芯片的MP3播放器出口到美国。另外，SigmaTel还正在考虑是否邀请美国国际贸易委员会（ITC）调查此案，有可能会请求ITC使用一切手段，包括发出排除令来禁止一切使用了珠海炬力MP3芯片的产品出口到美国。最后，SigmaTel还有可能请求ITC发出公告以命令所有经销商将采用珠海炬力芯片的MP3播放器撤架并销毁。
    
     美国SigmaTel成立于1993年，为便携式压缩音响播放器如MP3播放器、笔记簿型计算机及桌面计算机、DVD播放器、数码电视和机顶装置设计音响芯片。在MP3播放器主控芯片领域基本上处于绝对领导地位，相当于MP3业界的INTEL。
    
     珠海炬力则是一个由十多年IC量产化设计经验的专业团队与国际著名IC设计企业共同创立的IC设计公司，总投资1000万美元。主要从事工业级和消费类Soc及其完整系统解决方案的设计开发，业务范围涵盖IC设计、方案研发、IC测试和销售。2004年已拥有员工220多人，其中研发类人才180多人，2003年还被中国半导体行业协会评选为当年度国内最具成长性的十大IC设计企业之一。2004年炬力集成将以6倍以上的高速成长率，突破3亿元人民币的销售目标。
    
     据业内资深人士介绍，曾经或正在采用珠海炬力主控芯片的MP3播放器品牌主要有联想、方正、紫光、信利、BENQ、七喜、新蓝、优佰特、纽曼、台电、朝华等。
    
     在珠海炬力的官方资料中，我们特别注意到有关“知识产权”的自我介绍：
    
     创新是炬力集成茁壮成长的内在动能，创新发展同时也是炬力集成企业文化的重要组成部分。炬力集成依托其深厚的技术沉淀、高起点的技术定位、丰富的设计经验、专业化人才和团队，致力于开发拥有完全自主知识产权的高科技产品，以技术优势参与国际市场竞争。炬力集成一贯重视利用知识产权制度保护公司的合法权益，重视对企业知识产权的保护 与管理，奖励科技发明、技术创新，不断加强自主知识产权技术的研发，并积极申请专利、商标、著作权保护等。
    
     目前，炬力集成已在发明专利、版图设计、软件著作权、商标等方面申请并获得了多项专利。炬力集成在重视保护自身的知识产权同时，也非常尊重他人的知识产权。在技术创新、产品开发时，都会进行认真细致的专利信息检索和翔实的市场调查及数据收集，以避免侵犯他人知识产权，同时积极进行先进技术的引进和消化，炬力集成先后与多家国际知名企业签署技术许可协议，并在开发的产品中整合使用。
    
     目前，我们还不知道这些“自有知识产权”是否可以在此次官司中起到关键作用。