81 FR 14889 - Certain Mobile Electronic Devices Incorporating Haptics (Including Smartphones and Smartwatches) and Components Thereof; Institution of Investigation

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 53 (March 18, 2016)

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on February 11, 2016, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, on behalf of Immersion Corporation of San Jose, California. A supplement to the complaint was filed on February 24, 2016. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain mobile electronic devices incorporating haptics (including smartphones and smartwatches) and components thereof by reason of infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 8,773,356 (``the '356 patent''); U.S. Patent No. 8,619,051 (``the '051 patent''); and U.S. Patent No. 8,659,571 (``the '571 patent''). The complaint further alleges that an industry in the United States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337. The complainant requests that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14889-14890]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06112]


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 INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. No. 337-TA-990]


Certain Mobile Electronic Devices Incorporating Haptics 
(Including Smartphones and Smartwatches) and Components Thereof; 
Institution of Investigation

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the 
U.S. International Trade Commission on February 11, 2016, under section 
337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, on behalf of 
Immersion Corporation of San Jose, California. A supplement to the 
complaint was filed on February 24, 2016. The complaint, as 
supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the 
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the 
sale within the United States after importation of certain mobile 
electronic devices incorporating haptics (including smartphones and 
smartwatches) and components thereof by reason of infringement of 
certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 8,773,356 (``the '356 patent''); U.S. 
Patent No. 8,619,051 (``the '051 patent''); and U.S. Patent No. 
8,659,571 (``the '571 patent''). The complaint further alleges that an 
industry in the United States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) 
of section 337.
    The complainant requests that the Commission institute an 
investigation and, after the investigation, issue a limited exclusion 
order and cease and desist orders.

ADDRESSES: The complaint, as supplemented, except for any confidential 
information contained therein, is available for inspection during 
official business hours (8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.) in the Office of the 
Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Room 
112, Washington, DC 20436, telephone (202) 205-2000. Hearing impaired 
individuals are advised that information on this matter can be obtained 
by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on (202) 205-1810. Persons 
with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining 
access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 
(202) 205-2000. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its internet server at http://www.usitc.gov. 
The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the 
Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Unfair Import 
Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, telephone (202) 
205-2560.

    Authority:  The authority for institution of this investigation 
is contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 
and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2015).

    Scope of investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S. 
International Trade Commission, on March 14, 2016, ordered that--
    (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine whether 
there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the 
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the 
sale within the United States after importation of certain mobile 
electronic devices incorporating haptics (including smartphones and 
smartwatches) and components thereof by reason of infringement of one 
or more of claims 1-3, 5, 7, 9-13, 15, 17, 19-23, 25, and 26 of the 
'356 patent; claims 1-3 and 5-15 of the '051 patent; and claims 1-7, 
12-18, and 23-29 of the '571 patent, and whether an industry in the 
United

[[Page 14890]]

States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337;
    (2) Pursuant to Commission Rule 210.50(b)(1), 19 CFR 210.50(b)(1), 
the presiding administrative law judge shall take evidence or other 
information and hear arguments from the parties and other interested 
persons with respect to the public interest in this investigation, as 
appropriate, and provide the Commission with findings of fact and a 
recommended determination on this issue, which shall be limited to the 
statutory public interest factors set forth in 19 U.S.C. 1337(d)(1), 
(f)(1), (g)(1);
    (3) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the 
following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of 
investigation shall be served:
    (a) The complainant is:
    Immersion Corporation, 50 Rio Robles, San Jose, CA 95134.
    (b) The respondents are the following entities alleged to be in 
violation of section 337, and are the parties upon which the complaint 
is to be served:
    Apple Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014.
    AT&T Inc., 208 South Akard Street, Dallas, TX 75202.
    AT&T Mobility LLC, 1025 Lenox Park Boulevard NE., Atlanta, GA 
30319.
    (c) The Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International 
Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436; 
and
    (4) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the 
presiding Administrative Law Judge.
    Responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be 
submitted by the named respondents in accordance with section 210.13 of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. 
Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), such responses will be 
considered by the Commission if received not later than 20 days after 
the date of service by the Commission of the complaint and the notice 
of investigation. Extensions of time for submitting responses to the 
complaint and the notice of investigation will not be granted unless 
good cause therefor is shown.
    Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each 
allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to 
constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations 
of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative 
law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent, 
to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and 
to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing 
such findings, and may result in the issuance of an exclusion order or 
a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: March 14, 2016.
William R. Bishop,
Supervisory Hearings and Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-06112 Filed 3-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7020-02-P