[Super83Z]

http://freep.com/article/20090904/BU...-patent-claims

Can't seem to find this on any major media outlet...................boy thats strange.......................

Business news briefs: Toyota faces patent claims
Free Press news services

Post a Comment RecommendPrintE-mailLetter to editorShare
FacebookTwitterDiggDel.icio.usRedditNewsvineBuzz up!

Toyota Motor Corp. faces patent-infringement claims that may result in a U.S. import ban on some of its popular hybrid cars.





Paice LLC filed a complaint Thursday with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, claiming Toyota is infringing its patents. It seeks an order to ban imports of products using its inventions. A copy of the filing wasn't immediately available.



Paice won a jury verdict in 2005 that the Prius, Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX400h hybrids used Paice inventions related to drive trains. Another patent trial is to begin Oct. 1 in federal court in Marshall, Texas.



The October trial involves Paice claims that the Toyota Camry infringes the same patent that was at the heart of the 2005 trial, as well as two others. A second case, also pending in Marshall, involves claims of infringement of another patent by the Highlander and Lexus models.



The commission in Washington is set up to protect the U.S. market from unfair trade practices, including patent infringement. If it agrees to investigate Paice's claims, the investigation could be finished in about 15 months.



It has the power to order U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials to block infringing products from entering the country.