HDMI Licensing, InfoComm Settle Legal Fight Over Policing of HDMI Trademarks

HDMI Licensing and InfoComm International settled their nasty six-month legal battle over the policing of HDMI trademarks, said documents filed in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas. InfoComm gave “safe haven” to exhibitors at last June’s InfoComm show that were “direct infringers” of HDMI trademarks by letting them market, promote and sell unlicensed HDMI products on the show floor, shielded from investigators, HDMI Licensing alleged in a September complaint (see 1409150044). InfoComm countersued a month later, accusing HDMI Licensing of “blatant extortion” for treating any company on the InfoComm show floor that used the "HDMI" acronym "as a common criminal" (see 1410170054). Court documents didn't disclose the terms of the settlement agreement, which took two deadline extensions and nearly five months to hammer out. InfoComm had barred HDMI Licensing from its show floor in June, HDMI’s complaint alleged in a claim that InfoComm didn’t dispute. Asked if the settlement means HDMI Licensing would be invited back in, "HDMI Licensing is welcome to attend InfoComm trade shows provided their behavior complies with the settlement agreement and the same show rules that apply to all event attendees," InfoComm spokeswoman Betsy Jaffe emailed us Friday. She wouldn't disclose the behavioral terms in the settlement agreement that HDMI Licensing must comply with, "other than to say we resolved our differences to our mutual satisfaction." In its counterclaim, InfoComm had alleged that HDMI Licensing representatives "bullied" exhibitors they accused of violating HDMI trademarks and "falsely represented the authority" to bar those exhibitors from future InfoComm trade shows if they didn't comply with HDMI's demands. HDMI Licensing representatives didn't comment. InfoComm 2015 opens June 13 in Orlando for a seven-day run.