Raid on Unapproved Bluetooth Products
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced a successful raid against a factory in Shenzhen, China suspected of infringing upon the Bluetooth SIG's registered trademarks by manufacturing Bluetooth products bearing the Bluetooth trademark and logo without the authority of the mark owner, Bluetooth SIG, and without going through the Bluetooth Qualification Program.
The Bluetooth trademarks (word mark, figure mark and combination mark) are globally owned and registered by the Bluetooth SIG.
With full support of the mainland Chinese government authorities from Shenzhen, the raid was jointly conducted by the Shenzhen City Economic Crime Investigation Department of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and the Administration of Industries and Commerce (AIC) of Shenzhen. Over 20,000 pieces of finished and semi-goods comprising of headsets with Bluetooth technology, user manuals, packaging, printed boxes and components were seized from the manufacturing facility of Shenzhen Bluebird Hi-Tech. Co. Ltd., the company under investigation for the manufacturing and assembling of unqualified products infringing upon the trademarks.
Asia Pacific comprises more than half the world's number of Bluetooth SIG Associate and Promoter Members, with over 50 percent of Bluetooth products qualified in the region. Seven of the top 10 qualifying Bluetooth Qualification Bodies, which provides services to members seeking Bluetooth product qualification, for 2005 are based in the Asia Pacific region.
China ranks among the top three countries in the region in terms of Bluetooth SIG membership, with this number expected to grow steadily in the coming years."
Posted to the site on 27th September 2006