DTS, U.S. Customs Initiate Program to Protect Against Trademark Infringement Jan 6, 2004

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Consumer electronic audio technology company Digital Theater Systems, Inc. (DTS) has joined the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protections efforts to prevent unlicensed manufacturers' fraudulent product importation into the U.S.

To protect American consumers from purchasing counterfeit consumer electronics products, DTS has recorded several of its trademarks with the U.S. Customs Bureau. This will give DTS the ability to assist Customs officials in the seizing and destruction of an uncertified and unlicensed DTS product that is imported into the country.

Under the program, once a shipment containing a DTS trademark or technology passes through a U.S. port of entry, a Customs official will check the DTS authorized licensee database for importer information. If an importer is not listed, Customs will stop the shipment and contact DTS.

In the event that several fraudulent shipments from the same importer are seized, DTS will request an exclusion order from the International Trade Commission (ITC), allowing Customs officials to deny all future entries from an unauthorized importer of infringing product containing the DTS trademark or technology. The ITC then issues a seizure-and-forfeiture order enabling Customs officials to confiscate all future shipments.

"The objective of DTS' enforcement activity is to eliminate counterfeit product that competes with legitimate product," said Brian Towne, vice president, Consumer Division at DTS. "We hope that both consumers and our legitimate licensees immediately see the benefits of this program, as it prevents retailers and consumers from purchasing uncertified merchandise by mistake."

DTS is currently implementing similar programs with Customs organizations in Europe and Asia.

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