Sony launched a patent infringement suit against Red Digital Cinema on Friday in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that the Red ONE, EPIC and SCARLET cameras, as well as various digital still and motion camera modules, and various accessories such as the REDMOTE infringe on its patents.
“Sony is seeking both money damages and an injunction to stop the continued sale of Red’s infringing products,” said the Japanese electronics giant in a brief statement. “Sony makes significant investments into the research and development of technology related to the cinema camera industry and intends to protect those investments against companies that infringe our patents.”
The move comes after Red launched a similar lawsuit against Sony in February seeking damages and an injunction to stop the manufacture and sale of Sony F65, F55 and F5 cameras and have existing units destroyed.
RED founder Jim Jannard is basing his lawsuit largely on a patent application for the “Video Camera” which was filed Aug. 3, 2012. Sony is claiming that Red cameras infringe on seven of its patents.
In February, Jannard explained that “We don’t mean to be heavy handed. We saw 4K as the future standard in 2005. We have endured comments that ‘RED was a scam,’ ‘1080P was good enough,’ and ‘What does a sunglass guy know about cameras?’ as well as others I would never publish. Patents are here for a reason. They protect IP. Receiving a patent now means that you have an obligation to protect it… or they have absolutely no value whatsoever.”
But Jannard may have awoken a sleeping giant. In cases like this, typically the biggest patent portfolio wins.
In a brief statement on RedUser.net this weekend, with typical bravado, Jannard said, “Seems like someone is nervous… it just isn’t me.”
