According to the complaints, Craig Electronics, Curtis International and ViewSonic offer in the United States products, such as television sets, which use patent-protected MPEG-2 methods without a license under essential patents. The suits seek monetary damages and injunctions.
Previously, in June 2013, four patent owners in MPEG LA’s ATSC Patent Portfolio License sued Craig Electronics, Curtis International and ViewSonic for infringing patents essential to the ATSC digital broadcast standard (see http://www.mpegla.com/Lists/MPEG%20LA%20Legal%20Action%20List/Attachments/50/n-13-06-05.pdf).
MPEG LA, LLC
MPEG LA is the world’s leading independent provider of patent licenses offering wide access to important technologies. MPEG LA developed modern day patent pools. By assisting users with implementation of their technology choices, MPEG LA offers licensing solutions that create opportunities for wide adoption and fuel innovation. MPEG LA’s original license for MPEG-2 digital video compression helped produce the most widely employed standard in consumer electronics history. MPEG LA's MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License, which includes more than 1,000 MPEG-2 essential patents in 57 countries, has nearly 2,000 licensees accounting for most MPEG-2 products including set-top boxes, DVD players, digital television sets, personal computers and DVD Video Discs in the current world market. For more information, please refer to http://www.mpegla.com.