A fight over dashboard visuals has moved from the car to the courtroom. Quu is taking Broadcast Electronics to federal court, alleging the equipment maker’s products infringe a patent tied to synchronized text, logos, and images radio stations display on in-car screens.
The suit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Delaware, asserts that Broadcast Electronics’ TREPlus products infringe Quu’s US Patent No. 8,918,333, which covers Quu’s Content Partnership and AdSync products. Quu says it has invested extensive time and capital developing technology and new revenue products featuring synchronized and visual-only radio content displayed on dashboard screens.
Quu describes its technology as a way for radio stations to schedule and publish programming and sales content on screens, using text, logos, and images. The company says it delivers more than eight billion of those visual “Quus” annually.
In March, Radio Ink reported that Broadcast Electronics was acquired from ELENOS S.r.l. of Italy by a new ownership group led by CEO Rich Redmond and majority investor The Alzana Group. The deal placed the Illinois-based manufacturer under a new legal entity, BE Systems, Inc.
Quu CEO Steve Newberry said, “We respect fair competition and the IP rights of other companies, and expect that same consideration in return. Quu has spent over a decade inventing, patenting, and creating demand for our AdSync and Content Partnership products. We have a legal and ethical duty to defend our IP for the protection of our clients, employees, and shareholders.”
