Could you elaborate a bit more on the Scientific Atlanta antitrust suit against GMST?
Joel,
Here is the release of the Scientific Atlanta charges. This was a pre-emptive move IMO. There appears to be a contradiction of allegations. If they don't infringe on Gemstar's intellectual property as claimed then why are they bothering with the antitrust concerns?
Release Date: December 4, 1998
Scientific-Atlanta Brings Antitrust and Patent Invalidity Suit Against Gemstar International
ATLANTA – Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (NYSE - SFA) announced today that it has filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against Gemstar International Group of Pasadena, California, and related companies, for violations of the federal antitrust laws and for a declaratory judgment that certain patents owned or licensed by the Gemstar companies are invalid and not infringed by Scientific-Atlanta. The suit seeks treble monetary damages and an injunction against further antitrust violations by the Gemstar companies.
In the antitrust counts, Scientific-Atlanta asserts that Gemstar has engaged in a number of illegal activities, including monopolization, attempts to monopolize, restraint of trade, tying and predatory and exclusionary conduct.
The patents involved in the suit relate primarily to interactive electronic program guides. The suit alleges that Gemstar has sought to acquire, control and utilize patents relating to interactive electronic program guides in an unlawful effort to monopolize and restrain competition. In the suit Scientific-Atlanta maintains that the Gemstar patents are invalid and unenforceable because, among other reasons, Gemstar has unlawfully misused the patents. Scientific-Atlanta also maintains that it does not infringe the subject patents.
Regards
Stew |
