E6-18519. In the Matter of Certain Stringed Musical Instruments and Components Thereof; Notice of Investigation

AGENCY:

U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Institution of investigation pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1337.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on October 3, 2006, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, by Geoffrey McCabe of Los Angeles, California. A supplement to the complaint was filed on October 24, 2006. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain stringed musical instruments and components thereof by reason of infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,175,066, U.S. Patent No. 5,965,831, U.S. Patent No. 6,891,094, and U.S. Patent No. 5,986,191. The complaint, as supplemented, further alleges that an industry in the United States exists or is in the process of being established as required by subsections (a)(2) of section 337.

The complainant requests that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a permanent exclusion order and a permanent cease and desist order.

ADDRESSES:

The complaint, except for any confidential information contained therein, is available for inspection during official business hours (8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.) in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Room 112, Washington, DC 20436, telephone [phone]. Hearing impaired individuals are advised that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its internet server at http://www.usitc.gov. The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rett Snotherly, Esq., Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, telephone [phone].

Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2006).

Scope of Investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S. International Trade Commission, on October 30, 2006, ordered that—

(1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine whether there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the sale within the United States after importation of certain stringed musical instruments or components thereof by reason of infringement of one or more of claims 1-6, 8, 9 and 11 of U.S. Patent No. 6,175,066; claims 1-6 of U.S. Patent No. 5,965,831; claims 1 and 14-22 of U.S. Patent No. 6,891,094; and claims 1-3, 6-10, 14, 15, 23, 27, 28, and 32 of U.S. Patent No. 5,986,191, and whether an industry in the United States exists and/or in the process of being established as required by subsections (a)(2) and/or (a)(3)(C) of section 337;

(2) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of investigation shall be served:

(a) The complainant is—Geoffrey McCabe, 8601 Crescent Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

(b) The respondents are the following entities alleged to be in violation of section 337, and are the parties upon which the complaint is to be served:

Floyd Rose Guitars, 6855 176th Ave., NE., Redmond, WA 98052.

Ibanez, Inc. (Hoshino) US, 1726 Westchester Road, Bensalem, PA 19020.

Vigier, Inc., 10-12 rue de l'abbe Greaoire, ZAC, des radars, Grigny 91350 France.

Schaller Electronic, An der Heide 15, Postbauer-Heng, 92353, Germany.

(c) The Commission investigative attorney, party to this investigation, is Everett Snotherly, Esq., Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436; and

(3) For the investigation so instituted, the Honorable Robert L. Barton, Jr. is designated as the presiding administrative law judge.

Responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be submitted by the named respondent in accordance with section 210.13 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(d) and 210.13(a), such responses will be considered by the Commission if received not later than 20 days after the date of service by the Commission of the complaint and the notice of investigation. Extensions of time for submitting responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation will not be granted unless good cause therefor is shown.

Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent, to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing such findings, and may result in the issuance of a limited exclusion order or cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.

Issued: October 30, 2006.

By order of the Commission.

Marilyn R. Abbott,

Secretary to the Commission.