The ongoing disputes between low-cost television manufacturer Vizio and Japanese manufacturer Funai have entered another phase, this time with Vizio filing suit against Funai, claiming the Japanese maker—”in concert with others”—violates several Vizio patents making high-definition televisions. Vizio is seeking to have a court block importation of Funai flat-screen TVs into the U.S., as well as damages for millions of units in past sales. Funai manufacturers televisions for a number of brands—which Vizio disdainfully describes as “declining market share brand names”—including Philips, Magnavox, Emerson, and Sylvania.
