Sharp who are about to roll out a $37million dollar global advertising campaign for their LCD TV range has filed a patent infringement action against a Taiwanese LCD TV manufacturer.

Sharp on June 5 filed a lawsuit against HannStar Display and its affiliates in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas seeking damages for infringement by HannStar, as well as to prevent HannStar from infringing four of Sharp’s patents related to LCD technology.

The four patents involved are US Patent Numbers 5,280,372, 5,760,855, 5,852,485, and 5,907,376, all of which relate to LCD panels.

In its complaint, Sharp requests the court to award compensatory damages to Sharp and to prohibit defendants’ sales of LCD monitors and LCD TVs incorporating HannStar LCD panels. Sharp also requests a jury trial.

Prior to the filing of this lawsuit, HannStar signed a patent license agreement with Sharp in January 2003 covering LCD panels for PCs. This license expired on December 31, 2006. However, prior to the expiration; HannStar had failed to pay Sharp the full amount of the licensing fees due under the agreement.

As a result, Sharp filed suit against HannStar in the Tokyo District Court in Japan in January 2006. The Tokyo District Court issued a judgment in favor of Sharp in December 2006. HannStar has appealed to the Intellectual Property High Court in Japan and the case is now pending in that court.

The defendants in the newly-filed suit are HannStar Display and its affiliates, HANNspree and HANNspree California. HANNspree and HANNspree California sell LCD monitors and LCD TV sets in the US that incorporate LCD panels manufactured by HannStar.