WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. International Trade Commission has agreed to probe certain Wi-Fi enabled devices and their parts after Japan's Sharp Corp <6753.T> accused China's Hisense Group Co Ltd of infringing its patents, the body said on Wednesday.
The investigation, which Sharp requested in August, marks an escalation of a dispute between the two electronics makers. Sharp, which had licensed Hisense to use the brand to sell televisions in the United States, sued the Chinese state-owned firm for putting the Sharp name on what it has called low-quality TVs.
Sharp is owned by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd <2317.TW>, often referred to as Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker.
Sharp, which had reduced its overseas TV business, now sees that as a growth driver and has said it would re-enter the U.S. market with a high-end TV brand.
Companies often sue in court to win monetary damages, and at the International Trade Commission to block the import of products infringing on a U.S. patent.
The commission said it would announce a target date for completing the probe within 45 days.
(Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Eric Walsh and Richard Chang)
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