Hitachi sues LG Elec and U.S. unit on PDP patents

Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:22am EDT

TOKYO/SEOUL, April 24 (Reuters) - Hitachi Ltd. (6501.T), Japan's top electronics conglomerate, said on Tuesday it was suing LG Electronics and its U.S. unit, saying the South Korean company infringed its plasma display-related patents.

Hitachi filed the suit with a U.S. district court in Texas against LG (066570.KS) and its U.S. unit, seeking monetary compensation for damages and a permanent injunction prohibiting LG's plasma display panel (PDP) product sales in the United States.

"We have been in talks with LG on the appropriate licence for these patents, but discussions have reached an impasse," Hitachi said in a statement.

LG denied the allegation and said it would "react actively," without elaborating.

"Our basic stance is that LG has not violated those patents," said Judy Pae, an LG spokesman. "We are talking (to Hitachi) to resolve this matter." Seven patents related to development and manufacturing of PDPs are in dispute, according to Hitachi spokesman Masayuki Takeuchi.

((Reporting by Mayumi Negishi and Rhee So-eui, editing by Keiron Henderson; Reuters Messaging: soeui.rhee.reuters.com@reuters.net; soeui.rhee@reuters.com +822 3704 5650)) Keywords: HITACHI LGELECTRONICS/PATENTS Keywords: HITACHI LGELECTRONICS/PATENTS =2

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