LG seeking to block PS3 imports to US

At the tail end of December, Sony filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission over seven alleged patent infringements by South Korean electronics giant LG. At the heart of the complaint were a number of LG's mobile phones, including the new Windows Phone 7-enabled Quantum. Sony also targeted LG's Blu-ray players as part of a civil lawsuit.

Today, Bloomberg reports that LG has struck back. In filings with the ITC this week, LG is making two patent-infringement claims of its own, one that targets the PlayStation 3 by association and the other that targets Sony's lucrative Bravia line. LG is petitioning the ITC to halt Sony's ability to import the offending devices to the US.

According to Bloomberg, LG claims that Sony is violating four of its patents with the PS3. In particular, these patents focus on how the console's Blu-ray tech works with multiple data streams, as well as data reproduction that's stored on read-only devices. Sony's alleged TV infringement deals with high-definition receivers as well as signal receiving and processing.

Because the ITC does not have the power to compel financial remuneration, LG also reportedly filed a civil lawsuit in California, making the same claims. The Korean company is seeking financial compensation in the civil suit for Sony's purported unauthorized use of LG's patents.