The International Trade Commission vote was 5-0 to open a Tariff Act Section 337 investigation into Sharp’s patent infringement allegations against Vizio (see 2005210041), said a voting sheet (login required) dated May 20 and posted Tuesday in docket 337-TA-1201. Sharp seeks limited exclusion and cease and desist orders banning import of Vizio TVs that allegedly infringe five Sharp LCD patents. Sharp’s complaint also targets Vizio’s panel supplier, Xianyang CaiHong Optoelectronics Technology, and TPV, its TV assembler. Vizio and its suppliers didn't comment but face a June 10 ITC deadline to reply to Sharp's complaint and the initiation of the Section 337 investigation.

President Donald Trump issued a proclamation Friday suspending the entry into the U.S. to study or conduct research of any Chinese national who “either receives funding from or who currently is employed by, studies at, or conducts research at or on behalf of, or has been employed by, studied at, or conducted research at or on behalf of” a Chinese entity “that implements or supports” the Chinese government's “military-civil fusion strategy.” The proclamation exempts undergraduate students. The Chinese government uses “some Chinese students, mostly post‑graduate students and post-doctorate researchers, to operate as non-traditional collectors of intellectual property,” Trump said in the proclamation. “Thus, students or researchers from the [People’s Republic of China] studying or researching beyond the undergraduate level who are or have been associated with the [People’s Liberation Army] are at high risk of being exploited or co-opted by [Chinese government] authorities and provide particular cause for concern.” China's embassy in Washington pointed us to comments from a news conference with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson. "For some time, the U.S. has been resorting to a series of negative and wrong words and deeds in people-to-people and cultural exchange with China," the spokesperson said. "It runs counter to the openness and freedom the U.S. claims to champion, to public opinion in the two countries, and to the trend of the times in international talent exchange."

Sharp's lawyers served documents electronically Thursday on Vizio, TPV and Xianyang CaiHong Optoelectronics in connection with the International Trade Commission’s newly opened Tariff Act Section 337 investigation into Sharp allegations that Vizio and its suppliers are infringing five Sharp LCD display patents (see 2005210041). The electronic dissemination of documents was in keeping with the ITC’s March 16 order temporarily waiving its requirement on paper filings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said a certificate of service (login required) in docket 337-TA-1201. Vizio and its suppliers have until June 10 to file responses to the notice of investigation.

The International Trade Commission voted Wednesday to open a Tariff Act Section 337 investigation into Sharp allegations that Vizio, its panel maker Xianyang CaiHong Optoelectronics and TV set manufacturer TPV infringe five Sharp LCD display patents (see 2004270045), said an agency notice Thursday in docket 337-TA-1201. Vizio and the other respondents didn’t comment. They have 20 days to file a response. Administrative Law Judge Dee Lord was assigned to the case.

The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security is preparing to issue additional export controls over emerging technologies and is finalizing a long-awaited advance NPRM for foundational technologies, BIS officials said. The upcoming rules will include controls agreed to at the Australia Group, a multilateral export control body, said Matt Borman, Commerce deputy assistant secretary-export administration. Speaking during the first meeting of the Emerging Technology Technical Advisory Committee Tuesday, he said BIS is preparing controls on six emerging technologies agreed to during the 2019 Wassenaar Arrangement. The ANPRM, part of a broader effort that has proved “intellectually challenging” for Commerce officials, is in the “last stages of review within the bureau,” said Rich Ashooh, Commerce-assistant secretary for export administration. Commerce officials expected to release a series of emerging technology controls last year but had delays (see 2004010034). The agency’s first ETTAC meeting was delayed twice as security clearances for members took longer than expected (see 2002250041).

Samsung joined the Advanced Audio Coding patent pool as a licensee and licensor, said Dolby Labs' Via Licensing Tuesday. The AAC audio compression standard is adopted in broadcast, CE, mobile, automotive and PC products, worldwide.

LCDs “are essential to the U.S. economy,” and the COVID-19 pandemic “has only magnified their importance to the national economy, health, and public safety,” said Vizio and its suppliers Xianyang CaiHong Optoelectronics and TPV in public interest comments (login required) at the International Trade Commission in docket 337-3451. Sharp’s April 21 complaint seeks cease and desist and limited exclusion orders against displays from the three companies for allegedly infringing five Sharp LCD patents (see 2004270045). “The disruption in the LCD panels market that Sharp seeks will not be resolved within commercially reasonable time,” said the companies. “Certain major manufacturers of LCD panels are exiting the business by the end of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the global supply chain of LCD panels,” they said in reference to the Samsung Display decision to speed its exit from LCD production in South Korea and source future supply from Chinese panel makers (see 2004280016). “The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed the central role of LCD panels,” said the companies. “Non-essential office workers are using LCD displays at home to conduct their daily business.” Students are participating in remote learning “through their video displays,” they said. “The essential nature of these products was apparent when several big-box electronic stores in the U.S. depleted, and were unable to refill, inventories of computer monitors.” Even TVs “are no longer used solely for entertainment,” they said.

The International Trade Commission issued another limited exclusion order banning import of Comcast X1 set-top boxes that infringe patents held by Rovi, says Wednesday’s Federal Register. The ban, which concludes an investigation that began in 2018, is the second issued against Comcast at Rovi's request, after Customs and Border Protection in 2018 ruled Comcast's redesign of the X1 set-tops got around a limited exclusion order. A third investigation requested by Rovi on the cable operator's X1 boxes is ongoing. The ITC also issued cease and desist orders against Comcast but set no bond during the 60-day period of presidential review on whether to leave the exclusion order in place. Comcast didn’t comment Tuesday.

Comments are due May 8 at the International Trade Commission on Sharp’s April 21 complaint (login required) alleging Vizio and its suppliers, Xianyang CaiHong Optoelectronics Technology and TPV, violate five Sharp LCD patents, says Tuesday’s Federal Register, docket 337-3451. Sharp seeks limited exclusion and cease and desist orders banning imports of the allegedly infringing products. None of the proposed respondents commented Monday.

Two computer science professors with backgrounds in the “technical analysis of audio players,” controllers and components top the list of seven expert witnesses Sonos plans to call in the International Trade Commission’s Tariff Act Section 337 investigation into allegations that Google devices infringe five Sonos multiroom audio patents. Kevin Almeroth, a professor at the University of California-Santa Barbara, represented Jawbone in its ITC patent fight against Fitbit over fitness trackers (see 1608300035), said documents (login required) filed Friday in docket 337-TA-1191. University of Minnesota professor Jon Weissman represented Facebook against allegations it stole BlackBerry mobile-computing applications, said the filings. The other experts are independent consultants with backgrounds in engineering, patent monetization and statistical analyses, they said. One consultant, Marc Levitt, spent seven years in the 1990s as senior hardware engineer at Sun Microsystems. Another, Cole Hershkowitz, leads a team building a mobile app for Blue Cross of Idaho. The Sonos ITC complaint seeks cease and desist and limited exclusion orders against Google smart speakers and other devices (see 2002060070).