Clearone and Shure legal dispute

For these reasons, Sennheiser's ceiling microphone TeamConnect Ceiling 2 is not affected

August 23, 2019 – Statement Ron Holtdijk, Director Business Communication at Sennheiser

"On August 5, 2019, a U.S. federal court issued a preliminary injunction against Shure Inc. in connection with allegations that Shure's MXA910 microphone array infringes U.S. Patent No. 9,813,806 ("Patent 806"). Shure has publicly stated that, as a result of the injunction, any MXA910 'purchased after August 23, 2019 cannot be lawfully used in a suspended ceiling mounted configuration within the United States'. Please find detailed information on the case on Clearone's website. Some of our U.S. customers have asked us whether the injunction against Shure and the MXA910 should in any way prevent them from purchasing or installing Sennheiser’s TeamConnect Ceiling 2. For several reasons, the answer is no. For the sake of transparency and to keep our customers informed, I would like to take a stand today on behalf of the Business Communication Unit on what this litigation and patent 806 mean for our TeamConnect Ceiling 2 ceiling microphone.

First, Sennheiser was not involved in any litigation with ClearOne or the ’806 patent. The court’s preliminary injunction applies to Shure and only Shure.

Second, the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 uses a different technology than what is described and claimed by the ’806 patent—and different technology than what Shure uses in the MXA910. So, the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 does not infringe the ’806 patent in any mounting configuration, including in a drop-ceiling-mounted configuration.

The TeamConnect Ceiling 2 uses what is known as a “boundary effect” microphone, which is when a microphone is positioned flush with a sound-reflecting surface. The microphone capsules in the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 are positioned just behind the TeamConnect Ceiling 2’s rigid and sound-reflecting front wall. The microphone capsules and related circuitry are all attached to that rigid front wall. The TeamConnect Ceiling 2’s housing is hollow and closed at the back by another rigid wall. The TeamConnect Ceiling 2’s back wall is attached only to the housing, above the capsules and circuitry, to protect internal components from dust and damage. Those features and others take the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 outside the scope of the ’806 patent’s claims."