Bose Asks for Import Ban on Beats Noise-Canceling Headphones

Bose Corporation filed a complaint July 25 with the International Trade Commission seeking an exclusion order banning imports of noise-canceling headphones from Beats Electronics that allegedly infringe Bose’s patents. Bose says the headphones, which are variously manufactured and imported by Beats in the U.S. and Ireland, PCH International in Ireland, and Fugang Electronic (Dong Guan) Co. in China, copy its patented technology related to the generation of a sound to interfere with unwanted noise and cancel it out. It is seeking limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders against the four proposed respondents. The ITC asked for comments by Aug. 8 on public interest factors raised by the complaint (here).