Bose and Beats end beef over headphone patents
San Francisco (AFP) - Audio technology veteran Bose Corporation and Beats Electronics on Friday called a ceasefire in a lawsuit over patented technology for canceling noise in earphones.
Lawyers for the companies asked a federal judge to dismiss the Bose lawsuit, saying the companies had settled their differences, without elaborating.
The suit filed in federal court in the US state of Delaware in July had set the 50-year-old firm against an Internet Age youngster bought by Apple in a deal valued at $3 billion.
"Bose brings this action against Beats to protect its valuable patented technology for noise-canceling headphones," the July complaint said.
Bose accused Beats of infringing on five of its patents for cutting out unwanted noise in headphones, particularly by cancelling it out with other sound waves.
The technology is referred to as active noise reduction.
Bose had called on the court to order Beats to stop using the patented technology and to pay unspecified damages.
The deal for the maker of high-end audio equipment and operator of a subscription streaming music service is Apple's largest acquisition ever.
It called for Beats co-founders Dr. Dre, a Grammy-winning hip-hop pioneer, and Jimmy Iovine, a veteran music executive, to join the California company.
Since launching five years ago, Beats has become a popular brand for audio equipment and has attracted the likes of Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, who have designed their own customized Beats headphones and speakers.
Beats was reported to have claimed 60 percent of the billion dollars spent on top-end earphones in the US last year.
