Chinese DVD Makers Sue Over Royalties

Viceice writes "Afterdawn.com and DigiTimes are among many other news outlets reporting that DVD player makers from China are suing the 3C DVD Patent Group over royalties on patents held by the consortium. The suit accuses 3C alliance for price-fixing, unlawful tying of essential and non-essential patents together, group boycott and conspiracy to monopolize. According to the Chinese companies, typically U.S. patent licensing fees for other products are between 3 and 5 percent of the item's wholesale price, compared to the 50 percent for DVD players."

Comments

Re:It's a fixed amount, not a percentage

[jonny4001]

Getting a patent does not give you the right to violate other laws, including antitrust laws. If you do, it is within the power of the courts to impose compulsory licensing.

It's not a US technology

[Animats]

This has nothing to do with US technology. The 3C patent group is Sony, Pioneer, and Philips.

You cannot build a CD or DVD device without licensing technology from Japan. Or even a VCR, as Go Video found. American companies no longer own the key consumer electronics technologies.

Re:It's not a US technology

[evilviper]

This has nothing to do with US technology.

No, but it has everything to do with the US patents.

The defendants are the US branches of these companies. And the legalities are up to US courts.

If the court rules that the fees much be reduced, then all DVD players sold in the US can pay those reduced fees. The fees might remain massively high in Japan, but that doesn't matter for DVD players in the US.

Re:Is it just me?

[ad0gg]

This is the exact same position the US was in when it began its rise and it is interesting to consider that the economic situation of the country could so outstrip the cultural components in this manner.

Proof? Oh wait this is slashdot. Edison's 1000 patents. So when was the US championing freedom of IP?

Re:Is it just me?

[Jameth]

When the US originally declared independence and flat-out ignored all the restrictions Europe tried to place on such things.

The US declared independence in 1776. Edison was born in 1847. By the time Edison was patenting things, the US was among the richest countries in the world. It still had a long way to go to where it is today, but it was doing quite well.

Also, the US ignored it's own patents when Edison was around. Edison had patents on the camera which is why Hollywood is on the west coast: they didn't want to pay any patent royalties so they just avoided his collectors.

Re:China will be the death of the patent hegemony

[Anonymous Coward]

"China has not invaded another country for the last 200 years"

Give me a break. Ask any Tibetan and they will tell you what the Chinese mean when they say "the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet."

China invaded Tibet in 1950 and remains an occupying force today.

Re:China will be the death of the patent hegemony

[WIAKywbfatw]

China has not invaded another country for the last 200 years.

Uh, you're so ignorant. China invaded India in 1962. Before you post things in future perhaps you should get your facts straight.