[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 206 (Thursday, October 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73620-73621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23625]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation. No. 337-TA-1374]


Certain Smart Ceiling Fans, Components Thereof, and Associated 
Systems and Software Thereof; Notice of Institution of Investigation

AGENCY: International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the 
U.S. International Trade Commission on September 20, 2023, under 
section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Wangs 
Alliance Corporation d/b/a of WAC Lighting of Port Washington, New 
York. A supplement to the complaint was filed on September 26, 2023. 
The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based 
upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, 
and the sale within the United States after importation of certain 
smart ceiling fans, components thereof, and associated systems and 
software thereof, by reason of the infringement of certain claims of 
U.S. Patent No. 11,028,854 (``the '854 patent''); U.S. Patent No. 
10,488,897 (``the '897 patent''); and U.S. Patent No. 11,598,345 (``the 
'345 patent''). The complaint further alleges that an industry in the 
United States exists as required by the applicable Federal Statute. The 
complainant requests that the Commission institute an investigation 
and, after the investigation, issue a limited exclusion order and cease 
and desist orders.

ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for any confidential information 
contained therein, may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov. For help accessing EDIS, please email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fbbebfb2a8c8b39e978bbb8e88928f98d59c948d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c98c8d809afa81aca5b989bcbaa0bdaae7aea6bf">[email protected]</span></a>. 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 https://www.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Hiner, Office of the 
Secretary, Docket Services Division, U.S. International Trade 
Commission, telephone (202) 205-1802.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is 
contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 
U.S.C. 1337, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2023).
    Scope of Investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S. 
International Trade Commission, on October 20, 2023, 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 products 
identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement of one or more of 
claims 1-3 and 8-10 of the '854 patent; claims 1-5, 7-9, and 11 of the 
'897 patent; and claims 1, 3-10, and 12-17 of the '345 patent, and 
whether an industry in the United States exists as required by 
subsection (a)(2) of section 337;
    (2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the plain language 
description of the accused products or category of accused products, 
which defines the scope of the investigation, is ``smart ceiling fans, 
smart fan devices, and components thereof, specifically electrical 
boards carrying circuitry that enables smart features thereof, 
receivers and their circuitry, motors, housings, electrical conversion 
filters, and controllers, and systems and software associated with any 
of the foregoing'';
    (3) 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:

Wangs Alliance Corporation d/b/a, WAC Lighting, 44 Harbor Park Drive, 
Port Washington, NY 11050

    (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:

Minka Lighting, LLC, 12500 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News, VA 23602
Tech Lighting LLC, 7400 Linder Avenue, Skokie, IL 60077
VC Brands, LLC, 7400 Linder Avenue, Skokie, IL 60077

    (4) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the 
presiding Administrative Law Judge.
    The Office of Unfair Import Investigations is not participating as 
a party to this investigation.
    Responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be 
submitted by the named respondents 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(e) and 210.13(a), as amended in 85 FR 15798 
(March 19, 2020), such responses will be considered by the Commission 
if received not later than 20 days after the date of service by the 
complainant 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 an exclusion order or 
a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.


[[Page 73621]]


    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: October 20, 2023.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2023-23625 Filed 10-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P


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