Advanced Television

RealD hits German duo with 3D patent writs

December 21, 2017

By Chris Forrester

Visual technology and 3D specialist RealD has filed complaints in Germany’s District Court (Landgericht) in Düsseldorf, alleging that Volfoni SAS, Volfoni GmbH and CinemaNext Deutschland have infringed three of RealD’s European patents by the importation, sale, or offer for sale of the Volfoni SmartCrystal Diamond cinema systems in Germany. In the complaint, RealD requests an injunction banning the sale of the infringing devices and seeks financial damages.

This is the second patent enforcement action that RealD has taken against Volfoni. In March 2014, RealD filed suit against Volfoni in the US for patent infringement.  RealD dismissed that US patent lawsuit without prejudice only after Volfoni made specific representations and warranties that it had not sold or distributed the SmartCrystal Diamond product in the US. In the event that Volfoni’s representations were false or Volfoni sold the SmartCrystal Diamond product or any modified version in the United States, RealD reserved the right to continue the US-based lawsuit against Volfoni.

The asserted patents in this latest action cover RealD’s light-doubling 3D cinema system technology used in its XL product line. “RealD maintains an extensive patent portfolio covering its 3D cinema systems in numerous international markets, including the United States, Europe, China, Japan, S. Korea, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico and Russia, and intends to continue vigorously enforcing its intellectual property rights against infringement of its patented inventions,” said Neil Mothew, VP/Intellectual Property & Legal Affairs at RealD.

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