TOKYO — Sharp Corp. said on Monday (Aug. 6) it filed a U.S. lawsuit accusing Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. of infringing Sharp's LCD patents, the latest in a series of legal tussles among Asian technology companies.

Samsung, the No.1 liquid crystal display (LCD) TV maker, said in response that it may countersue third-ranked Sharp.

The suit comes at a time when major flat TV suppliers such as Sharp, Samsung and Sony Corp. battle fierce price competition and shrinking margins.

Sharp said it filed the suit in the Court for the Eastern District of Texas and was seeking compensation and the prohibition of sales of products infringing five of its LCD patents including one that relates to technology used to enhance display quality.

The infringing products include Samsung televisions and monitors and mobile phones that include Samsung LCD modules, according to Sharp, which is asking for a jury trial.

Sharp declined to comment on how much monetary compensation it is seeking.

The Osaka-based company said last week it would spend 380 billion yen ($3.20 billion) to build the world's largest LCD panel plant in Japan, in an effort to win back the No.1 spot it once held in the $64 billion global LCD TV market.

"We have been in talks with Samsung, but it appears difficult to solve the matter through negotiations," Sharp spokeswoman Miyuki Nakayama said.

"So, our primary purpose is to move the situation forward by filing a lawsuit."

This is the first time that Sharp has filed a lawsuit against Samsung.

"We are considering countersuing Sharp on LCD patents owned by Samsung Electronics," a Samsung spokesman said.

Shares in Sharp were up 0.7 percent at 2,060 yen in early afternoon trade, outperforming the Tokyo stock market's electrical machinery index which was down 0.19 percent.

In South Korea, Samsung shares were up 0.7 percent at 588,000 won, while the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 0.52 percent.

In recent legal disputes among Asian electronics makers, Hitachi Ltd. and South Korea's LG Electronics Inc. sued each other over display patents, while Sharp sued Taiwan's HannStar Display Corp. for alleged violations of four LCD patents. ($1=118.86 Yen)