Hewlett-Packard has sued Taiwan-based PC maker Acer for alleged infringement of five U.S. patents related to PC technology.

HP hopes to block Acer from selling products stateside allegedly using HP's technology, including notebooks, desktops and media center systems. The five patents involve processor tweaks, power-consumption technology, and DVD editing tools. The patents listed in the lawsuit were filed between 1997 and 2003.

"HP today is taking necessary actions to protect its intellectual property against unauthorized use," the company said in a statement. "HP respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects the same treatment in return."

Acer did not immediately issue a statement related to the lawsuit.

Acer is currently the fourth largest PC vendor in the world and the second largest computer retailer in Taiwan. Acer's U.S. sub-division Acer America Corporation is located in San Jose with a technical support department located in Texas. ®

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