Certicom sues Sony for patent violation: much ado over Blu-ray content protection

Blu-ray

Our previous report on legal actions against Sony involved Target Technology and their claim that Sony’s Blu-ray infringes on their patent. While that one was more about the more on the materials in the Blu-ray disc, this new lawsuit, this time from Certicom Corp, claims that Sony Corp’s Blu-ray infringed on two US patents on digital content protection.

The suit claims that Sony is using Certicom licensed digital encryption technology (AACS) in Sony Blu-ray HD products. Certicom also claims that a digital transmission patent (Digital Transmission Content Protection or DTCP) was also infringed by Sony as it is being used without a license in wireless and audio devices.

Sony products affected by this suit include: the Playstation 3, various Sony DVD players, VAIO personal computers, and some Sony HDTV models and audio equipment.

The suit was filed in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. Certicom Corp is represented by the Fish & Neave Intellectual Property Group of U.S.-based law firm Ropes & Gray.

With two lawsuits regarding a format that could arguable be Sony’s biggest ace, it seems that other people’s sentiments that folks are just trying to “cash-in” are starting to gain credence, but that’s just one way of looking at it. What do you folks think?

Blu-ray

Our previous report on legal actions against Sony involved Target Technology and their claim that Sony’s Blu-ray infringes on their patent. While that one was more about the more on the materials in the Blu-ray disc, this new lawsuit, this time from Certicom Corp, claims that Sony Corp’s Blu-ray infringed on two US patents on digital content protection.

The suit claims that Sony is using Certicom licensed digital encryption technology (AACS) in Sony Blu-ray HD products. Certicom also claims that a digital transmission patent (Digital Transmission Content Protection or DTCP) was also infringed by Sony as it is being used without a license in wireless and audio devices.

Sony products affected by this suit include: the Playstation 3, various Sony DVD players, VAIO personal computers, and some Sony HDTV models and audio equipment.

The suit was filed in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. Certicom Corp is represented by the Fish & Neave Intellectual Property Group of U.S.-based law firm Ropes & Gray.

With two lawsuits regarding a format that could arguable be Sony’s biggest ace, it seems that other people’s sentiments that folks are just trying to “cash-in” are starting to gain credence, but that’s just one way of looking at it. What do you folks think?

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