LG전자는 작년 말에 소니(SONY)를 블루레이 표준기술 특허권 침해 혐의로 고소를 하였습니다.

구체적으로 말하면, LG전자는 소니가 자사의 블루레이 표준기술과 신호수신 및 처리에 관한 기술 등 8가지 특허기술을 HDTV와 플레이스테이션3에 불법으로 사용했다며  미국 국제무역위원회(ITC)와 유럽연합(EU)에 소송을 제기했습니다.

그리고 오늘 EU 법정에서는 LG전자의 요구를 들어주어, 유럽에 수입되는 모든 PS3 를 EU (유럽연합) 관세청에서 압류하라고 임시 명령을 내렸습니다.

압류기간은 10일이지만, LG전자는 이 기간을 연장할 수 있도록 법원에 요청 하였습니다. 

소니는 일주일에 약 10만대의 PS3 콘솔을 유럽에 수출하고 있는데 상당한 타격을 받을 수 있습니다.

LG전자는 또한 미국 국제무역위원회(ITC)를 통해서 소니는 자사의 블루레이 표준기술 특허를 침해했기 때문에 PS3 (플레이스테이션3) 제품에서 자사의 블루레이 특허기술을 빼고 판매하도록 제소를 하였습니다.

만약 소니가 LG전자의 특허를 침해했다고 최종 판결이 나올 경우, LG전자는 PS3의 판매량에 따라서 소니에게 수백만달러에서 수천만달러까지 보상금을 요구할 수 있습니다.

[영국 가디언지에 실린 기사]
Josh Halliday guardian.co.uk, Monday 28 February 2011 17.33 GMT

European customs ordered to seize PlayStation shipments in legal disputeConfiscations ordered after Asian electronics giant LG wins preliminary injunction against Sony in acrimonious patent battle

European customs officers have been ordered to seize shipments of Playstation 3s after LG won a preliminary injunction against Sony in an acrimonious patent battle between the two Asian electronics giants.

The ruling by the civil court of justice in the Hague means that all new PS3s have to be confiscated as they are imported into the UK and the rest of Europe for at least 10 days.

If the injunction was extended it could mean consoles disappearing from high street shelves. It is understood that Sony and computer games retailers typically have about two to three weeks' worth of PS3s in stock across the continent.

Tens of thousands of PS3s were seized by customs officers last week in the Netherlands, the Guardian has learnt, in a dispute that centres on Sony's allegedly infringing use of Blu-ray technology belonging to LG.

Sony, which imports around 100,000 of the consoles a week, is frantically trying to get the ban lifted. The Japanese company has the right to appeal to the European patents office.

LG meanwhile, could apply to the same patents office to get the 10-day import ban extended. Alternatively, the Korean company could apply for a court order to get the consoles destroyed but it is highly unlikely the court would grant a request to eliminate the warehoused goods.

LG argues that Sony PS3s infringe a number of its patents relating to playback of Blu-ray Discs. LG called for an investigation into the PS3's Blu-ray use in a filing with the US international trade commission earlier this month, and said it sought a "permanent exclusion order ... excluding entry into the United States" of the games console.

If Sony is found to have infringed LG patents, it could be forced to compensate the South Korean manufacturer for each PS3 it has sold around the world, which could cost hundreds of millions of pounds.

The two technology giants are involved in a complex web of seven separate patent disputes, with Sony also seeking to block shipments of LG smartphones to the US.

Rotterdam and Schiphol are the main import points for PS3s for both the UK and continental Europe. The consoles are being stockpiled in Dutch warehouses until it becomes clear how the case will develop.

A spokesman for Sony Playstation said: "We are currently looking into this matter, and cannot make any comments at this point in time." LG declined to comment, although sources close to the company confirmed the current legal position.

Sony has sold more than 3m PS3s in the UK since its launch in March 2007. The Japanese manufacturer is understood to have a stockpile of around 6,500 PS3s in Germany and 10,000 in the UK.

However, the majority of PS3 sales around Europe are pre-orders, meaning they are already sold before they gather dust at warehouses in the UK and elsewhere. Stockpiles could run out within two to three weeks if the ban is not lifted, the Guardian understands.