An administrative law judge for the International Trade Commission issued a recommendation that the commission ban 4GB and 250 GB Xbox gaming consoles from import to the United States. The recommendation(PDF) was released to the public on Monday, and would punish Microsoft for infringing against some of Motorola’s patents. The patents permit video transmission and compression on the console and between the console and its controllers.
Not all import bans are created equal though. In Judge David Shaw’s statement, he suggested a cease and desist order be placed against Microsoft. It would, “require the respondent to submit an annual report to the Commission regarding the number and value of infringing goods in its domestic inventory,” according to the authors of ITC Remedial Orders in the Real World(PDF). “Failing to do so, or providing false information in the report, may lead to criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 1001.” The cease-and-desist order is more strict than a standard exclusion order, which would simply require US customs agents to keep tabs on Microsoft’s activities.
Judge Shaw also ordered “that Microsoft post a bond equal to 7 percent of the declared value of unsold Xbox inventory already in the country,” according to Courthouse News.
See the original article here:
ITC judge recommends import ban on Microsoft’s Xbox
