Toshiba Corp. said Monday it has filed a lawsuit in the United States against 17 companies for infringing on its DVD-related patents.
In the lawsuit filed Friday with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the electronics manufacturer seeks a court order to prohibit the 17 firms from producing and importing DVD players and related products. Toshiba is also seeking undisclosed damages.
Toshiba and Toshiba America Consumer Products LLC also filed a complaint Friday with the U.S. International Trade Commission against the 17 companies, calling for a halt to the imports.
The 17 companies are based in the U.S., China and Hong Kong, Toshiba said.
According to Toshiba, the 17 manufacturers and importers of DVD players and recorders and other DVD-related products used patented technologies that should have been licensed only by Toshiba and the DVD6C Licensing Group, of which Toshiba is a member. The licensing group comprises nine major developers of DVD technology and formats.