TOKYO – Japan’s Sharp Corp <6753.T> said on Friday it has won a patent infringement lawsuit against Daimler <DAIGn.DE> in Germany, a ruling that could enforce a sales ban against the German automaker.
A district court in Munich ruled that mobile communications technology used in Daimler vehicles violates a patent owned by Sharp, the Japanese electronics company said.
A source familiar with the matter said Sharp can enforce a sales ban against Daimler if it posts 5.5 million euros ($6.5 million) as a guarantee to cover any damages in the event the ban is overturned on appeal.
Daimler has filed a nullity action against the patent in a separate lawsuit before Germany’s federal patent court in Munich.
Nokia <NOKIA.HE> won backing from a German court in a similar patent infringement lawsuit against Daimler over mobile communications technology in August.
Sharp, a unit of Taiwan’s Foxconn <2317.TW>, has also sued the Japanese unit of Tesla Inc <TSLA.O>, seeking an injunction to halt imports of some electric vehicles (EV) to Japan.
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