DivX to ITC: Infringement of 2014 Patent Warrants TCL Import Ban

Comments are due Dec. 9 in docket 337-3578 at the International Trade Commission on the public interest ramifications of the import ban DivX seeks on TCL smart TVs for allegedly infringing its September 2014 patent (8,832,297) on adaptive bitrate streaming, says Wednesday’s Federal Register. DivX owns by assignment the “entire rights” to the patent, which was originally assigned to Sonic IP, based on a December 2011 application, said the Nov. 24 DivX complaint. Banning the TCL smart sets from U.S. import would have “no significant negative impact on U.S. consumers,” said DivX, because TCL has 14% share of the smart TV market, vs. the combined 56% share of Samsung, Vizio and LG. “The scope of the requested remedial orders would not cover TCL’s products that are covered by the license agreement between DivX and Roku,” it said. TCL didn’t comment Tuesday.