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Bose suing Beats over noise-cancelling headphones [ITP.net (United Arab Emirates)]
[July 27, 2014]

Bose suing Beats over noise-cancelling headphones [ITP.net (United Arab Emirates)]


(ITP.net (United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) High-end audio company Bose is suing Beats Electronics over patented noise reduction technologies, it was reported over the weekend.

The complaint alleges that Beats uses Bose's noise reduction technology in its Studio and Studio Wireless headphones. In the suit - posted up by various media outlets - Bose claims that it lost sales due to the popularity of the Beats brand.



Along with the lawsuit, Bose also filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission against Beats, asking that Beats no longer be allowed to import its products from China to the United States.

The suit goes into a lengthy history of how Bose's noise cancelling technology, Active Noise Reduction (ANR), was developed. A number of patents now protect that technology. However, Bose alleges that Beats' own 'Adaptive Noise Cancellation' infringes on those patents. The suit also says that Beats has had notice of the infringing patents.


"Beats does not have a license or permission to use the '537 patented technology," the suit says.

"As a result of Beats' infringement of the '537 patent, Bose is being irreparably injured, and Bose will suffer additional irreparable injury unless and until Beats is enjoined by this Court." Oddly, the suit does not demand a specific amount of money in compensation for the alleged patent infringement. Bose simply wants "an award of damages sufficient to compensate Bose for Beats' infringement," as well as "reasonable attorneys' fees, costs and expenses." Beats was earlier this year acquired by Apple for around $3bn. It is unclear whether Apple's valuation of the company has spurred Bose into action over these products. Apple, however, is not mentioned in the suit.

(c) 2014 ITP Business Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

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