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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Apr. 04, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies  
Commitments and Contingencies

 

11. Commitments and Contingencies

 

Patent Litigation

 

On January 21, 2014, Cresta Technology Corporation (“Cresta Technology”), a Delaware corporation, filed a lawsuit against the Company, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics America, Inc., LG Electronics Inc. and LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. in the United States District Court in the District of Delaware, alleging infringement of United States Patent Nos. 7,075,585, 7,265,792 and 7,251,466. The lawsuit relates to the Company’s family of television tuner products. Cresta Technology seeks unspecified compensatory and enhanced damages, attorney fees and a permanent injunction. On January 28, 2014, Cresta Technology also filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (“ITC”) alleging infringement of the same patents against the Company, Samsung and LG Electronics and seeking to prevent the importation and sale of allegedly infringing products in the United States. The ITC instituted an investigation based on Cresta Technology’s complaint on February 27, 2014.

 

An evidentiary hearing in this ITC Investigation concluded on December 5, 2014. The ITC Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) issued an Initial Determination on February 27, 2015, finding that all the patent claims asserted against the Company’s products were either invalid or not infringed. The ALJ also found that Cresta Technology failed to establish the ITC’s domestic industry requirement. Accordingly, the ALJ found no violation by the Company. The Final Determination by the ITC is scheduled to issue on June 29, 2015. The Delaware District Court action has been stayed pending completion of the proceedings in the ITC. The Company intends to vigorously defend against these allegations.

 

On May 6, 2014, the Company filed a complaint with the ITC alleging infringement of United States Patent Nos. 6,137,372 and 6,233,441 against Cresta Technology, Hauppauge Digital, Inc., Hauppague Computer Works, Inc., PCTV Systems, S.a.r.l., Luxembourg and PCTV Systems S.a.r.l., seeking to prevent the importation and sale of allegedly infringing products in the United States. On July 1, 2014, the Administrative Law Judge accepted a consent order whereby Cresta Technology will not sell for importation, import or sell in the United States television tuners that infringe the Company’s United States Patent Nos. 6,137,372 and 6,233,441. Accordingly, this ITC investigation has been terminated in its entirety.

 

On July 16, 2014, the Company filed a lawsuit against Cresta Technology in the United States District Court in the Northern District of California alleging infringement of United States Patent Nos. 6,308,055, 6,304,146, 6,137,372, 6,233,441, 6,965,761 and 7,353,011. The Company is seeking a permanent injunction stopping the sale of all allegedly infringing Cresta Technology products and an award of damages and attorney fees.

 

As is customary in the semiconductor industry, the Company provides indemnification protection to its customers for intellectual property claims related to the Company’s products. The Company has not accrued any material liability on its consolidated balance sheet related to such indemnification obligations in connection with the Cresta Technology litigation.

 

At this time, the Company cannot predict the outcome of these matters or the resulting financial impact to it, if any.

 

Other

 

The Company is involved in various other legal proceedings that have arisen in the normal course of business. While the ultimate results of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company does not expect them to have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial statements.