LG Points Out a Possible Patent Infringement in The Eye-Tracking Tech Contained in The Galaxy S4

Yonhap News reports that the Korean cousins Samsung and LG are in a row over the eye-tracking technology in their respective flagship phones, the Galaxy S4 and Optimus G Pro. The feature at the center of the controversy is called Smart Pause by Samsung and Smart Video by LG, and lets users pause a playing video by looking away from the screen. LG says it applied for the relevant patent in 2009 (as well as other eye-tracking inventions as far back as 2005) and plans to check if Samsung's phone infringes when it launches next month. Samsung, of course, denies infringing LG’s patent, saying it has its own technology and used different methods for its own implementation. The two companies' phones are both scheduled for release in April.

Over the past year, the rivalry and mimicry between Korea’s top two electronics companies has reached insane new heights. The pair both announced 55-inch OLED TVs at CES in 2012, and while both were severely behind schedule, LG eventually shipped its panel, beating its longtime rival to market. When Samsung announced a curved OLED TV at CES 2013, LG was quick to respond, trotting out its own "world’s first" curved panel within a couple of hours.

The friction was being mirrored behind the scenes, too, where the pair had been at loggerheads over the underlying technology, suing each other for various OLED patent violations. To top it off, Samsung had filed another suit in its home country in December, claiming that LG infringed its LCD patents, and asking the court to ban the offending products. While those cases have since been settled out of court, the armistice doesn’t seem to be lasting very long. Whether it's antagonistic billboards or lawsuits about refrigerator capacity in advertising, it looks like the two chaebols just can't get along. [Source]

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THX Files Suit Against Apple Over 'Narrow Profile Speaker'

Bloomberg reports that THX, the sound innovation company that traces its origins to George Lucas and Lucasfilm 30 years ago, has filed suit against Apple in U.S. District Court over alleged infringement of a speaker patent by the iMac, iPhone and iPad product lines.

THX holds a 2008 patent for a speaker unit that can boost sound output and attach to computers or flat-screen televisions, according to a complaint filed yesterday in federal court in San Jose, California.

THX is claiming that the infringement has caused it "monetary damage and irreparable harm" and is seeking either an order to stop the alleged infringement and a reasonable royalty or damages to compensate THX for any lost profit.

The sound company alleges that undisclosed iPad and iMac models, as well as the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, are infringing upon the patent. As noted by AppleInsider, the device that most resembles THX's patent is the newly redesigned iMac, which features long channels that allow audio to be projected from the thin bottom edge of the machine.

There is of course still a chance for the two companies to reach a settlement, as the deadline for Apple to meet with THX and its counsel over initial disclosure is May 14, with initial disclosures due on June 7 and the initial case management conference a week later on June 14.

If the two sides do not agree on a settlement, Apple's arguments in court will likely hinge on disputing the patent's validity.

Notably, Tom Holman, creator of the original THX standard, joined Apple in mid-2011 to provide "technical direction" on the company's audio efforts.

THX also has a presence on Apple's App Store for iOS devices in the form of THX tune-up, an app released in January that allows users to calibrate televisions and surround sound systems. [Source]

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