Apple, Samsung and Google threatened with US import ban over spatial audio patents

The complaint comes from BoomCloud 360an American company founded in 2014 and specialized in sound processing algorithms, which presented its claim last August 14. The firm, with accumulated financing of 6.72 million dollars and 44 patents registered in his name, he maintains that Apple, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Electronics America and Google have sold devices in the US that infringe three of his patents. These cover spatial audio enhancement technologies, crosstalk cancellation and gain adjustment in sound processing, as stated in the file registered as 337-TA-1521. And, according to BoomCloud 360, previous negotiations with the three technology companies did not reach an agreement, so the company has opted for a much more aggressive route than a simple lawsuit for damages: it asks the USITC for a limited exclusion order that prevents the entry of these products into US ports, along with orders to cease sales and any related commercial activity.

What deadlines does the USITC handle and how Apple and Samsung defend themselves

The procedure is processed under Article 337 of the Tariff Law of 1930, an administrative route designed to resolve patent disputes much faster than federal courts, where these litigations usually last two or three years.

A USITC administrative judge will review the case, and within a maximum of 45 days From the institution of the file, the commission will set the target date to issue a resolution. If the judge confirms the violation, the commission will review that decision and, if confirmed, the US Trade Representative will have 60 days to lift restrictions if it considers there are national policy reasons to do so. Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung have already moved forward by filing parallel lawsuits in federal courts in Texas and California, a common strategy to gain leeway while the commission process moves forward. However, this is not the first time that this mechanism has put a big brand in check: something similar happened to Apple with Masimo, which forced it to temporarily withdraw some Apple Watch models from sale in the United States.

What models could be left out and what would happen in Spanish stores

For now we do not know which specific models could be left out of the US market if the USITC rules against the three technology companies, although the focus falls on phones and headphones that boast better audio quality.

As BoomCloud 360 focuses its claim on sound technologies, analysts point to the most recent flagships of each brand as the candidates most exposed to a possible exclusion order. The USITC does not have jurisdiction over Spain or the rest of Europe, so an import ban in the US would not directly close the doors of Amazon.es, MediaMarkt either The English Court. However, the manufacturing and distribution of these devices works with global supply chains, and such tension in the United States could end up leading to stock delays or price adjustments here as well. For now, the first real milestone comes within those 45 dayswhen the commission sets the target date for resolution and we know with what exact calendar this case is working. Do you think this patent dispute will end up affecting what reaches Spanish stores?