575 7th Street, NW Telephone 202-344-4000 www.venable.com VE NABLEI, Washington,DC 20004-1601 Facsimile 202-344-8300 July 2,2004 VIA COURIER Ms. Marilyn R. Auuott c, Secretary 1 ,^ , U.S. International Trade Commission 500 E Street, S.W., Room 112A Washington, DC 20436 Int'l Trade Commission Re: Transmittal of Complaint under 19 U.S.C. 6 1337 In the Matter of Certain Ear Protection Devices ; j - - - - - - - . lnv. No. 337-TA- ' -1 --~* Dear Secretary Abbott: Enclosed please find a Complaint under Section 337 on behalf of the Complainants 180s, Inc. and 180s, LLC alleging the unlawful sale for importation to the United States, importation into the United States and the sale within the United States after importation of certain ear protection devices that infringe Complainants' valid and enforceable U.S. Patent No. 5,835,609 and U.S. Patent No. 6,502,247. Enclosed please find the following papers: 1. Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. $8 210.8 and 210.12, the original Complaint and twenty- four (24) additional copies of the Complaint with signed Verification. The exhibits to the Complaint are contained in two volumes; one volume of non-confidential exhibits (Exhibits 1 through 19) and one volume of business confidential exhibits (Exhibits 10 1 through 138). a. All confidential exhibits have been so marked on the cover of each set of copies. Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. 5 201.6, the Complainants hereby request confidential treatment of these exhibits. A written description of the nature of the subject information is included in the body of the Complaint. Confidential treatment of these exhibits is justified because they contain trade secret information relating to investments and operations ofthe Complainants. Disclosure of this information would cause harm to Complainants' competitive position. Attached to this letter is a notarized certification that substantially identical information is not available to the public. 2. One copy of the Complaint with exhibits for date stamping to be returned to Venable LLP with the messenger. WASHINGTON, DC MARYLAND VIRGINIA VENAABLE;,, Secretary Abbott U.S. International Trade Commission July 2,2004 Page 2 3. Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. 5 210.12(c), a certified copy and three additional copies of the file history of the ‘609 Patent (attached as Appendix A); four copies of each patent or technical reference mentioned in the file history of the ‘609 Patent (attached as Appendix B); an informal copy of the file history plus three additional copies of the file history of the ‘247 Patent (attached as Appendix C); four copies of each patent or technical reference mentioned in the file history of the ‘247 Patent (attached as Appendix D); and three copies of a license agreement related to the ‘609 and ‘247 Patents (attached as Confidential Appendix E). The appendices are contained in two volumes; one volume of non-confidential appendices (Appendices A through D) and one volume of confidential appendices (Appendix E). a. Complainants have requested but not yet received true and correct certified copies of the file history for the ‘247 Patent. A true and correct certified copy of this file history will be substituted upon receipt. b. The confidential appendix (Appendix E) has been so marked on the cover of each set of copies. Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. 5 201.6, the Complainants hereby request confidential treatment of this appendix. A written description of the nature of the license agreement which constitutes this appendix is included in the body of the Complaint. Confidential treatment of this appendix is justified because it contains trade secret information relating to investments and operations of the Complainants. Disclosure of this information would cause harm to Complainants’competitive position. Attached to this letter is a notarized certification that substantially identical information is not available to the public. 4. Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. 5 210.12(a)(9)(i), certified copies of the ‘609 and ‘247 Patents. 5. Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. fj 210.12(a)(9)(ii), certified copies of the assignments to the ‘609 and ‘247 Patents. 6. Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. 5 210.12(b), three samples of Complainants’patented ear warmers (including one fully assembled ear warmer and one ear warmer with the frame removed, attached as Physical Exhibit 1); one accused “Black Shell” ear warmer (attached as Physical Exhibit 2); one accused “Ear Band” ear warmer (attached as Physical Exhibit 3); and one accused “Fashion Ear Muff’ ear warmer (attached as Physical Exhibit 5). Complainants are in possession of only one accused pocket membrane “Fashion Ear Band” ear warmer at this time and as a result are hmishing digital photographs of that accused ear warmer as Physical Exhibit 4. Complainants will be pleased to make the accused pocket membrane “Fashion Ear Band” ear warmer available for inspection at any time during this case, should the Commission so request. Secretary Abbott U.S. International Trade Commission July 2,2004 Page 3 Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Please feel free to call if you have any questions. Respectfully submitted, Rebecca G. Lombard Enclosures CERTIFICATION I, Brian E. Le Gette, state as follows: 1. I am the Chief Executive Officer of 180s, Inc. and am duly authorized to sign this Certification on behalf of the Complainants. 2. I have read the Complaint and I am aware of its contents. 3. The disclosure of the information contained in the Confidential Exhibits and the Confidential Appendix accompanying the Complaint would cause harm to Complainants' competitive position. 4. Substantially identical information is not available to the public. Brian E. Le Gette .tK/ SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this&- day of June, 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland. [SEAL] UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20436 In the Matter of 1 I~v.NO. 337-TA-- CERTAIN EAR PROTECTION DEVICES ) COMPLAINT OF 18Os, INC. AND 180s, LLC UNDER SECTION 337 OF THE TARIFF ACT OF 1930, AS AMENDED COMPLAINANTS PROPOSED RESPONDENTS 180s, Inc. Ningbo Electric and Consumer Goods 701 E. Pratt Street Import & Export Corporation Suite 180 17/F Baltimore, Maryland 21 202-3 101 Ling Qiao Square (410) 534-6320 3 1 Yao Hang Street http://www. 180s.com Ningbo, Zhejiang 3 15000 China 180s, LLC Tel: 0086-574-87194997 701 E. Pratt Street Fax: 0086-574-87194921 Suite 180 E-mail: [email protected] Baltimore, Maryland 21202-3 101 Website: www.tigerbiz.net (410) 534-6320 http://www. 180s.com Vollmacht Enterprise Co., Ltd. 5F, No. 360 Ruei Guang Road COUNSEL FOR COMPLAINANTS Neihu Taipei, Taiwan Kevin B. Collins Tel: 886-2-875 18698 Jeffrey A. Dunn Fax: 886-2-87512333 Rebecca G. Lombard Website: www.vollmacht.com David M. Farnum Venable LLP March Trading 575 7th Street, N.W. 1239 Broadway, Room 1606 Washington, D.C. 20004-1601 New York, New York 10010 (202) 344-4800 Tel: (212) 725-5418 PROPOSED RESPONDENTS {CONTINUED) Alicia International, Inc. d/b/a Lincolnwood Merchandising 7354 N. Caldwell Avenue Niles, Illinois 60714 Tel: (847) 324-0404 Fax: (847) 324 041 1 Website: www.acliciainternational.com Hebron Imports 4142 W. Lawrence Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60630 Tel: (773) 202-0100 Fax: (773) 202-0140 Ross Sales 23 1 Commack Road Commack, New York 1 1725 Value Drugs Rock, Inc. 30 Rockefeller Center New York, New York 10020 Tel: (212) 757-9335 Fax: (212) 765-3045 Song’s Wholesale 1301-A 14th Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20002 Wang Da, Inc. Retail and Wholesales 230 Canal Street New York, New York 10013 Tel: (646) 613-8889 TABLE OF CONTENTS I . INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. -1 I1. THE PARTIES ......................................................................................................... 9 A . Complainants ............................................................................................... 9 B . Proposed Respondents ............................................................................... 12 1. “Black Shell” Ear Warmer Respondents ....................................... 12 2 . “Ear Band” Ear Warmer Respondents ........................................... 13 3 . Pocket Membrane “Fashion Ear Band” Ear Warmer Respondent.15 4 . “Fashion Ear Muff’ Ear Warmer Respondent ............................... 15 ... C . Related Litigation....................................................................................... 15 1. Settled Cases .................................................................................. 15 I11 . THE PRODUCTS AT ISSUE ............................................................................... 18 A . Ear Warmers .............................................................................................. 18 IV . THE PATENT AT ISSUE ..................................................................................... 19 A . United States Patent No . 5.835. 609 ........................................................... 19 B . Foreign Counterparts to the ‘609 Patent .................................................... 19 C . Licenses Under the ‘609 Patent ................................................................. 20 D . Non-Technical Description of the ‘609 Patent’s Invention ....................... 21 E . United States Patent No . 6.502. 247 ........................................................... 21 F . United States and Foreign Counterparts to the ‘247 Patent ....................... 22 G . Licenses Under the ‘247 Patent ................................................................. 23 H . Non-Technical Description