Hitachi sues for patent infringement

Consumer electronics maker Hitachi is suing three major Taiwanese monitor manufacturers for patent infringement. The company is seeking an injunction and unspecified monetary damages in the case against Amtran Technology, Proview Electronics and Tatung. The suit was filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court of Northern California.

Hitachi said it was forced to file the suit after more than a year of patent license discussions broke down. In addition to its PC monitor business, Hitachi recently announced eight new high-definition plasma televisions with either 42-inch or 55-inch screens. The company is also investing $787 million in the Miyazaki Works facility of its Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display project, which should be complete by late 2006.