Smart TV industry rocked by alleged patent conspiracy from chipmaker [Updated]
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[Update, 8:10 pm ET: Realtek's lawyer Rudy Kim told Ars that in his 25 years of practicing IP law, he has "yet to come across" alleged misconduct like the "illicit agreement at the center of this case." He said that "Realtek is suing to rightfully defend itself and to hold defendants accountable for their egregious behavior," which is "critical for innovative companies to have a level playing field, unhindered by anticompetitive and illegal tactics like these."
Kim said that Realtek has "committed to donate any monetary recovery from this case to charity" because the "real impact of this type of behavior goes far beyond Realtek, hurting the industry, other companies, and everyday consumers-limiting innovation and raising prices for products around the world." He also said that "entering into a secret litigation 'bounty' agreement with a patent troll should not be condoned but rather brought to light and heavily discouraged. To the extent that the defendants believe there is nothing wrong with their covert deal, we openly invite them to share their full agreement with the public."]
[Update, 7:10 pm ET: IPValue's Vice President of Business Development George Park told Ars that "IPValue is not permitted to comment about the agreement with MediaTek." Park alleged that "Realtek's complaint is full of misleading statements, and IPValue looks forward to vigorously defending itself."