Complaint analysis | 2:25-cv-15456 | Control Sync Systems LLC v. LG Electronics USA Inc

I. Executive Summary and Procedural Information

Parties & Counsel:
- Plaintiff: Control Sync Systems, LLC (Wyoming)
- Defendant: LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. (Delaware)
- Plaintiff’s Counsel: Garibian Law Offices, P.C.; Direction IP Law
Case Identification: 2:25-cv-15456, D.N.J., 09/11/2025
Venue Allegations: Plaintiff alleges venue is proper in the District of New Jersey because Defendant LG maintains a regular and established place of business in the district and has allegedly committed acts of infringement there.
Core Dispute: Plaintiff alleges that Defendant’s smart televisions featuring "Simplink" functionality infringe a patent related to a system for synchronously controlling separate display and media play devices.
Technical Context: The technology relates to interoperability within home entertainment systems, where a single remote control for a primary device (like a TV) can also control connected peripheral devices (like a DVD player or sound system).
Key Procedural History: The complaint does not mention any prior litigation, licensing history, or post-grant proceedings related to the patent-in-suit.

Case Timeline

Date	Event
2005-07-29	’889 Patent Priority Date
2010-10-12	’889 Patent Issue Date
2025-09-11	Complaint Filing Date

II. Technology and Patent(s)-in-Suit Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,812,889 - Control system for synchronously controlling display device and play device

The Invention Explained

Problem Addressed: The patent’s background section describes the user frustration and inconvenience of using separate remote controls for a display device (e.g., a projector) and a media play device (e.g., a DVD player) to adjust shared parameters like volume, requiring multiple steps to achieve a desired setting (’889 Patent, col. 1:40-54).
The Patented Solution: The invention proposes a control system that allows two devices to synchronize their video and audio parameters. A command received by one device (e.g., from its remote control) is encoded into a data signal, sent over a "bus" to the second device, which then decodes the signal and updates its own parameters accordingly, enabling unified control (’889 Patent, col. 2:1-34, Fig. 2).
Technical Importance: This approach sought to unify the user experience in multi-device home theater setups, a persistent challenge before the widespread adoption of standardized control protocols (’889 Patent, col. 1:55-58).

Key Claims at a Glance

The complaint asserts independent claim 1 and dependent claims 2 and 10 (Compl. ¶14).
Independent Claim 1 requires:
- An on-screen display (OSD) system within a display device for receiving a first OSD signal from an external source.
- An encoding/decoding module within the display device for encoding that first OSD signal into a first data signal.
- A bus connected to the display device for transmitting the first data signal to a separate play device.
- Wherein the display device uses the first OSD signal to control its own parameters, and the play device decodes the received first data signal to control its parameters.
The complaint does not explicitly reserve the right to assert other claims.

III. The Accused Instrumentality

Product Identification

The accused products are LG's OLED, NanoCell, and QNED series smart televisions that include the "Simplink" feature, with the 86" Class LG QNED model used as an exemplary device (Compl. ¶14-15).

Functionality and Market Context

The complaint alleges that Simplink is a control system based on the HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) standard, which allows users to control connected multimedia devices (identified as "play devices," such as a DVD player) using the single LG TV remote control (Compl. ¶15). The complaint provides a screenshot from an LG promotional video stating, "SIMPLINK enables HDMI - CEC devices connected to your TV with an HDMI cable to be controlled with your TV remote" (Compl. p. 6). The functionality allows the TV remote to send commands like play/pause to a connected device over an HDMI cable (Compl. ¶15, ¶17).

IV. Analysis of Infringement Allegations

’889 Patent Infringement Allegations

| Claim Element (from Independent Claim 1) | Alleged Infringing Functionality - | Complaint Citation | Patent Citation |
|:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |:-----------------------|:--------------------|
| an on screen display (OSD) system of the display device disposed in the display device for receiving a first OSD signal from external of the display device; | The LG TV receives control commands, such as play and pause signals ("first OSD signal"), from its remote control ("external of the display device"). - | ¶16 | col. 3:20-27 |
| an encoding/decoding module of the display device disposed in the display device for encoding the first OSD signal received by the OSD system into a first data signal; | The TV allegedly includes a module that encodes the received remote command into a data signal suitable for transmission to the connected multimedia device. - | ¶17 | col. 3:28-31 |
| a bus connected to the display device for sending the first data signal out of the display device and transmitting the first data signal to the play device; | An HDMI cable connecting the LG TV to a peripheral like a DVD player allegedly functions as the claimed "bus" to transmit the control signal. A complaint visual shows an HDMI cable connected to a TV, annotated with the label "Bus" (Compl. p. 24). - | ¶18 | col. 3:41-46 |
| wherein the display device receives the first OSD signal to control the video and audio parameters of the display device, the play device is decoding the first data signal received from the bus to control the video and audio parameters of the play device. | The TV's remote allegedly controls the TV's playback, while the connected play device (e.g., a DVD player) receives and decodes the signal from the TV via the HDMI cable to control its own playback, such as play/pause. A visual depicts a DVD Player as the "play device" receiving commands from the TV (Compl. p. 27). | ¶19 | col. 5:7-12 |

Identified Points of Contention

Scope Questions: A central issue may be whether the industry-standard HDMI-CEC protocol, which the complaint identifies as the basis for Simplink (Compl. ¶15), falls within the scope of the patent’s claims. The defense may argue that HDMI-CEC is a pre-existing or non-infringing alternative to the specific system disclosed in the patent.
Technical Questions: The complaint alleges the existence of an "encoding/decoding module" by inference, stating it "would be apparent for a person having ordinary skills in the art" that such a module must exist to convert the remote signal for transmission (Compl. ¶17). A key question for the court will be what evidence Plaintiff provides to prove the existence and operation of a structure in the accused TVs that meets this specific claim limitation, as distinct from the general signal processing functions of a TV's main chipset.

V. Key Claim Terms for Construction

The Term: "encoding/decoding module"

Context and Importance: This term is central to the dispute, as it defines a specific structural component of the claimed system. The infringement allegation for this element relies on inference rather than direct evidence of a specific LG component with this name or function (Compl. ¶17). The construction of this term will determine whether the general processing capabilities of an HDMI-CEC-enabled chipset meet the limitation.
Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:
- Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The specification describes the module's function—"encoding the first OSD signal received by the OSD system 40 into a first data signal"—without limiting its specific hardware or software implementation (’889 Patent, col. 3:28-31). This may support an argument that any component performing this function infringes.
- Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: Figure 2 of the patent depicts the "encoding/decoding module" (42, 48) as a distinct block separate from the "OSD system" (40, 46) and "Display module" (202). This could support a narrower construction requiring a structurally distinct component or a specific software module, rather than a function integrated into a larger, general-purpose processor.

The Term: "OSD signal"

Context and Importance: The definition of this term is critical because the complaint equates it with general remote control commands like "play and pause" (Compl. ¶16), whereas the patent consistently discusses it in the context of an "on screen display (OSD) system" (’889 Patent, col. 3:18-20). The case may turn on whether any user command constitutes an "OSD signal" or if the signal must be specifically related to generating or interacting with a visible on-screen display.
Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:
- Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The patent does not explicitly limit the "OSD signal" to only those commands that produce a visual display; it is defined by its origin (from external of the device) and its function (controlling video and audio parameters). This could support reading the term on general commands like volume or playback control.
- Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The repeated use of the phrase "on screen display (OSD) system" to describe the component that receives the signal suggests the signal is intrinsically linked to the function of an on-screen display, potentially narrowing its scope to commands that invoke or manipulate menus and visual feedback, not just any background command.

VI. Other Allegations

Indirect Infringement: The complaint's prayer for relief seeks a judgment of both direct and indirect infringement (Compl. p. 34, ¶a). However, the body of the complaint focuses exclusively on direct infringement and does not plead specific facts required to support a claim for either induced or contributory infringement, such as allegations of Defendant's knowledge of the patent and its specific intent to encourage infringement.
Willful Infringement: The complaint does not contain any allegations of willful infringement.

VII. Analyst’s Conclusion: Key Questions for the Case

A core issue will be one of scope and standardization: Can the claims, which describe a specific system architecture involving distinct modules and a bus, be construed to cover the accused LG products whose functionality is allegedly based on the widely adopted, industry-standard HDMI-CEC protocol?
A second key issue will be claim construction: How will the court define "encoding/decoding module"? The case may depend on whether this term is construed broadly to mean any processing that converts a signal for transmission, or narrowly to require a discrete hardware or software component as depicted in the patent's figures.
A final dispositive question will be evidentiary: Beyond inferential statements, what technical evidence will be presented to demonstrate that the accused LG televisions contain a structure that meets the "encoding/decoding module" limitation, and how will the allegedly infringing operation of the Simplink feature be proven to map onto the specific steps recited in the asserted claims?