Intermec, Symbol Resolve Outstanding IP Disputes

The four settled lawsuits were initiated in March 2005, when Symbol sued Intermec, charging it with infringing on Symbol patents covering Wi-Fi wireless communications technology. Symbol claimed Intermec incorporated such technology into its mobile computers, including its 700-series handheld RFID readers (see Symbol Sues Intermec in IP Dispute).

Later that same month, Intermec sued Symbol, accusing the latter of infringing six Intermec patents covering wireless networking and software used in handheld and wireless devices (see Round 3: Intermec vs. Symbol).

The very next month, Symbol volleyed with its second suit against Intermec, declaring that it had infringed on Symbol patents related to the decoding of bar codes (see Symbol Files Second Suit). In June, Intermec made a claim to the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that Symbol was violating U.S. trade practices by importing three of its own products—handheld mobile computing devices and accessories—that Intermec said infringed on some of its patents (see Intermec Says Symbol Violating Trade Law).

In September, the two companies announced that they had settled on a lawsuit over RFID intellectual property. Filed by Intermec against Matrics (an RFID hardware provider later purchased soon after by Symbol) in June 2004, the suit claimed Matrics was infringing on four of Intermec's more than 100 RFID patents (see Intermec Sues Matrics). Intermec and Symbol settled the suit through an agreement in which both companies provided access to each other's RFID-related IP. This was achieved via licensing agreements based on Intermec's Rapid Start Licensing Program, which Symbol joined (see Intermec, Symbol Reach Major Agreement).

While the legal wrangling between Intermec and Symbol appears to be settled (at least for the next four years) Intermec late last month filed suit against Morgan Hill, Calif., RFID device maker Alien Technology. The suit alleges that Alien's UHF EPC Gen 2 RFID readers and tags infringe on 10 Intermec patents. Intermec is seeking an injunction prohibiting Alien from selling the infringing RFID products, and it is also seeking monetary damages from the sale of Alien's Gen 2 readers (see Intermec Sues Alien Over IP). Intermec and Alien have declined to comment on the suit at this time.