DOES CHINESE MAGIC INFRINGE JAPANESE PATENT?

According to Business Wire, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has just announced that it has sued GS Magicstor Inc. of China, its Chinese parent company GS Magic Inc. and Riospring, Inc. of Milpitas, CA. (Magicstor's research affiliate) for infringement of numerous Hitachi GST patents relating to hard disk drives. The suit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks monetary damages and a permanent injunction that bars the GS Magic entities from making, using, importing, offering to sell, or selling the allegedly infringing products in the US. Said Robert Holleran, general manager of Hitachi GST's Hard Disk Drive Group:

"Hitachi GST's ability to compete in the hard disk drive industry is based on a history of deep investment in research and development, particularly in the advancement of innovative small-form-factor hard drives. We have a responsibility to protect our investment and the intellectual property of our company against those who are competing unfairly in our industry".

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies was founded in January 2003 as a result of the strategic combination of Hitachi's and IBM's storage technology businesses. By the end of 2003, Hitachi GST became the industry's second largest hard disk drive manufacturer with $4.2 billion in revenue. The company's goal is to enable users to engage fully in a digital lifestyle by providing access to large amounts of storage capacity in formats suitable for the office, on the road and in the home. The company offers customers worldwide a comprehensive range of storage products for desktop computers, high-performance servers and mobile devices.

Hitachi: a hard job policing hard disk drive patents?

The IPKat is sure that GS Magicstor won't give up without a fight. The cost and uncertainty of patent infringement might well result in the grant of a licence to Hitachi's competitor and erstwile infringer.

Chinese magic here and here