Symbol and Intermec resolve disputes
By Staff -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 8/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Intermec and Symbol Technologies, two pioneers in auto-ID and data capture, recently settled all outstanding intellectual property (IP) disputes in an agreement whereby both vendors cross-licensed certain patents, and entered into a four-year covenant not to sue with respect to remaining patents. The companies also released patent-infringement damage claims that may have existed on the settlement date, or may arise before the covenants expire.
In March 2005, Symbol claimed Intermec was infringing certain Symbol bar-code scanning and wireless patents. Intermec responded with a complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission, alleging that Symbol was infringing certain Intermec bar-code scanning patents.
In September 2005, Intermec and Symbol resolved the portion of their dispute that concerned RFID, and Symbol joined Intermec's Rapid Start RFID intellectual property licensing program. That cross-licensing agreement gave Symbol access to Intermec's RFID IP and gave Intermec access to Symbol's RFID IP.
Both companies say the agreement is a good resolution of their IP disputes.
