The International Trade Commission seeks comment by June 18 on a potential limited exclusion order banning import by Sigma and Vizio of semiconductor devices used in consumer audiovisual devices that infringe patents held by Broadcom, it says in Thursday's Federal Register. The ITC began its underlying Tariff Act Section 337 investigation in 2017, based on allegations that Sigma, Vizio and several other companies are making and using system-on-chip and similar processing components and circuits for digital TVs, set-top boxes, Blu-Ray disc players, DVD players/recorders, DTV/DVD combinations, multimedia streaming players, home theater systems and other such audiovisual devices and systems. The ITC is also considering a cease and desist order against Vizio. That company didn't comment Wednesday. Silicon Labs declined to comment on specifics of the complaint. The company bought Z-Wave assets of Sigma Designs in April (see 1804180064), a Silicon Labs spokesman noted. "This ITC matter relates to Sigma’s video products. We did not buy those products from Sigma, and therefore we have no involvement in this matter." Sigma didn't comment.

The International Trade Commission seeks comment by June 5 on a potential limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning import and sale of non-volatile memory devices by Toshiba, the ITC said in Wednesday's Federal Register. The ITC began its underlying investigation in 2017, based on allegations Toshiba is making and importing flash memory devices and products containing them, such as memory cards, solid-state drives, digital camcorders, car navigation systems and other consumer electronics, that infringe patents held by Macronix. An ITC administrative law judge recommended the limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders if the ITC finds violations of Tariffs Act Section 337. Toshiba didn't comment.

Broadcom is seeking a limited exclusion order banning imports of infotainment systems and cars containing them that allegedly infringe its patents, the company said in a Tariffs Act Section 337 complaint filed May 7. It alleged Panasonic, Toyota and others are importing and selling infringing merchandise, which includes head units, rear-seat entertainment units, units for displaying information or entertainment, cameras, controllers and processing components used in the systems such as Global Navigation Satellite System receivers and modules. Broadcom also seeks cease and desist orders. The International Trade Commission is seeking comment by May 21, said Friday's Federal Register. Panasonic didn't comment Monday and Toyota declined to comment.

Israel-based dual-camera technology company Corephotonics sued Apple Monday for patent infringement of camera technologies in the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. In the complaint (in Pacer), filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Corephotonics alleges Apple infringed “and continues to infringe” its patents for miniature telephoto lens assemblies. Corephotonics, formed in 2012 to develop next-generation mobile phone cameras, described its dual-aperture camera technology as using two fixed-focal length lenses, a wide-angle lens typical of those found in smartphones with single-aperture cameras, and a miniature telephoto lens. Traditional optical zoom is accomplished by using a variable focal length lens array, said the company, but at the size required for smartphones, “it is difficult to reliably include movable components,” leaving smartphones to use small, fixed lenses. Single-aperture smartphone cameras have had to rely on digital zoom, where a processor “digitally modifies the image to create a magnified but poorer resolution image,” said the complaint. Corephotonics claims its dual-aperture camera technology instead uses a second camera with a telephoto lens that provides “much higher optical resolution than the wide-angle camera." Images from both cameras can be processed by computational algorithms to create an effectively higher level of zoom without degrading image quality by combining digital and optical zoom, it said. In video capture, Corephotonics said its approach conserves resources and power. The company said it spent years demonstrating its technologies to Apple and discussing potential collaborations and business arrangements. “Apple, however, refused” and “has gone ahead and marketed its newest generations of iPhones with dual cameras that employ Corephotonics’ innovative designs -- without any regard to Corephotonics’ intellectual property rights,” said the complaint. Corephotonics is seeking permanent injunctive relief against Apple and damages “in an amount to be further proven at trial” along with an award of “enhanced damages,” said the complaint. Apple didn’t respond.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's annual review of countries' intellectual property practices added Canada and Columbia to a "priority watch list," as other countries remained on it including China, for 12 nations total, one more than 2017 (see 1704280059). Canada remains the only G7 country identified in the "Special 301" report and "downgrade" is amid "significant concerns" like "poor border and law enforcement with respect to counterfeit or pirated goods" and "deficient copyright protection," USTR reported. "Canada does not provide customs officials with the ability to inspect, detain, seize, and destroy in-transit counterfeit and pirated goods entering Canada destined for the United States." Canada's embassy didn't comment, nor did that of China or Colombia on Friday. Colombia should work on issues involving ISPs, USTR said. "As online piracy, particularly via mobile devices, continues to grow, Colombian law enforcement authorities with relevant jurisdiction, including the National Police and the Attorney General, have yet to conduct meaningful and sustained investigations and prosecutions against the operators of large pirate websites and mobile applications based in Colombia," it said on IP generally. China is on the priority watch list for the 14th consecutive year, USTR announced. "Longstanding and new IP concerns merit increased attention, including China’s coercive technology transfer practices, range of impediments to effective IP enforcement, and widespread infringing activity -- including trade secret theft, rampant online piracy, and counterfeit manufacturing." MPAA CEO Charles Rivkin said "American creators still face significant challenges in foreign markets protecting and enforcing their intellectual property rights, especially in the form of online piracy." The International IP Alliance noted that among 24 countries on the lower-tier "watch list" are "key markets for creators like Brazil, Mexico, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam." Added to the watch list for 2018 were the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan, while Bulgaria was removed, a USTR representative noted. Others reacting favorably to the report were BSA|The Software Alliance and the Entertainment Software Association.

The International Trade Commission is seeking comment by May 18 on a potential exclusion order banning imports of Vizio, MediaTek and Sigma Designs graphics systems that infringe AMD patents, the agency said in Tuesday's Federal Register. An ITC administrative law judge recommended the exclusion order in the context of a Tariff Act Section 337 investigation that began March 27, based on allegations the three companies are importing infringing sets. The ITC is also considering a cease and desist order against Vizio and SDI. MediaTek, Sigma and Vizio didn't comment Wednesday.

Comcast updates to its X1 system let its X1 set-top boxes fall outside the scope of an International Trade Commission limited exclusion order in November against the company (see 1711280017), Customs and Border Protection ruled March 5, recently released. Comcast has been litigating set-top patent issues with Rovi, now named TiVo, for years (see 1803150024). "Comcast has carried its burden of demonstrating that the changes made to the X1 system will prevent Comcast’s customers from using the modified X1 system, of which the STBs at issue are a component, in a manner which directly infringes," CBP ruled. The design changes, most of which are redacted in the ruling, removed some features that allowed users to remotely schedule TV program recordings. "In support of the efficacy of its redesign, Comcast produced customer complaints from its Internet forums, which Comcast assuaged by publicly explaining that the remote recording functionality had been removed," said CBP. Redesigned X1 boxes imported by Arris and Technicolor on behalf of Comcast are no longer prohibited from entry into the U.S. CBP wasn't persuaded by TiVo's claims the same infringing features remained despite Comcast's changes. Comcast thinks the ITC "reached the wrong decision in this case, and we removed the remote DVR scheduling feature at issue while we pursue an appeal," a spokeswoman said Wednesday. "The letter simply acknowledges the favorable ruling we received from Customs last month.” TiVo declined to comment.

Sonos “can’t discuss future plans” to commercialize technology embodied in a newly granted U.S. patent for “defect detection via audio playback” in a multiroom home entertainment network (see 1803300027), spokeswoman Lizzie Manganiello emailed Monday. Few “options” existed for “accessing” digital music until Sonos came along in 2005 with its Wireless HiFi System, said the patent.

China moved into second place as a source of international patent applications filed in 2017 under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s patent cooperation treaty, reported WIPO Wednesday. China closed in on long-time leader U.S., and at the current pace of filings will overtake the U.S. within three years as “the largest source of applications,” said WIPO. China’s Huawei and ZTE were the world’s top two filers overall in 2017, followed by Intel, Mitsubishi and Qualcomm, it said. “Overall, inventors from around the world filed 243,500 international patent applications via WIPO" in 2017, 4.5 percent more than a year earlier, it said.

HEVC Advance’s new royalty structure (see 1803140037) caps rates at 1 percent on the per unit cost of H.265-enabled devices. The patent pool lowered the royalties after getting licensee feedback that royalties above 1 percent were burdensome, it said.