Sharp Fires Another Shot Over LCD Patents: Tokyo Customs has accepted a request by Sharp Corp (6753.TK) to halt the importation of LCD (liquid crystal display) televisions sold by the Japanese unit of major Taiwanese electronics firm Teco Electric & Machinery Co, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.

The Japanese consumer electronics maker made the request, citing patent infringement.

This decision effectively suspends customs clearance procedures for the TVs in question -- 20-inch Teco LCD TVs sold by Sankyo Co, Teco's Tokyo-based sales unit.

The TVs were being sold by major supermarket chain operator Aeon Co (8267.TK) and a Tokyo-based volume electronics retailer. They were also sold for less than 80,000 yen over the internet. But both firms have already stopped marketing them.

The TVs include LCD panels made by Taiwan's AU Optronics Corp (AUO), the third-largest producer of the parts. Sharp claimed that the Taiwanese company infringed on its patent rights in producing the panels.