Lego Group

The LEGO Group is a family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark, and best known for the manufacture of Lego-brand toys. The company was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen. The word LEGO is derived from the Danish words "leg godt", meaning "play well." The word "lego" can also be interpreted to mean "I gather together" in Latin, and "I connect" in Italian. Since the expiration of the last standing LEGO patent in 1988, a number of companies have produced interlocking bricks that are similar to LEGO bricks. The toy company Tyco Toys produced such bricks for a time; other competitors include Mega Bloks and Coko. These competitor products are typically compatible with LEGO bricks, and are marketed at a lower cost than LEGO sets. One such competitor is Coko, manufactured by Chinese company Tianjin Coko Toy Co., Ltd. In 2002, LEGO Group Swiss subsidiary Interlego AG sued the company for copyright infringement. A trial court found many Coko bricks to be infringing; Coko was ordered...