EPSON WINS INITIAL RULING ON INK-CTG SUIT

[Anonymous]

Epson wins initial ruling in ink cartridge suit

TOKYO, April 07 – Japan’s Seiko Epson Corp. 
said on Wednesday it won a preliminary ruling in a dispute in the United
States that would block imports of printer ink cartridges that violate Epson’s
patents.

In February 2006, Seiko Epson, the world’s No. 2 ink jet printer maker after
Hewlett-Packard, filed the case with the U.S. International Trade Commission
(ITC) against a group of 24 suppliers that import and sell Epson-compatible
cartridges.

Seiko Epson has already reached a settlement with 7 suppliers such as Artech
GmbH of Germany and Ink Lab Co. of Hong Kong.

Seiko Epson said in a press release that ITC on March 30 tentatively ruled
in favour of Seiko Epson’s request for a general exclusion order on the
cartridges.

The order would block all imports of products that infringe on Epson’s
patents, not only the ones made by the 24 suppliers involved in the dispute.

ITC plans to make a final ruling by July 30, and the order would also
require confirmation from the U.S. president, Seiko Epson said.

A public filing of the ruling was not available on ITC’s Web site.

Epson wins preliminary ITC ruling
on printer patents

TOKYO — Seiko Epson Corp. said Thursday (April 5) that an initial
determination in its favor has been issued by the U.S. International Trade
Commission in response to its ink-jet cartridge patent infringement complaint
filed with the ITC in February 2006.

Seiko Epson together with U.S. subsidiaries Epson Portland Inc. and Epson
America Inc. filed the complaint with the ITC claiming that 24
U.S., Korean, German and Chinese companies were infringing its patents. It
is seeking the suspension of sales and importation of their ink cartridge
products to the U.S.

ITC Judge Paul Luckern issued an initial determination on March 30 finding
that the accused companies infringed Epson’s patents. Luckern recommended
barring the companies from importing infringing cartridges and the issuance of
a cease and desist order barring them from selling infringing cartridges
imported before the exclusion order becomes effective.

“Once ITC’s judgment becomes officially effective, the suspension of
sales in and importation to the United States will be applied to all cartridge
vendors that infringe our patents,” said an Epson spokesman.

The initial ruling has been submitted for review by the ITC prior to a final
determination in the case, which is scheduled for July 30. Eighteen of the
accused 24 companies settled with Epson prior to the ITC ruling. Epson said it
will continue its patent action against the other six companies.

Epson has already filed related complaints against competitors in England
and China, settling some of those cases. It has taken a hard line against
patent infringement involving its cartridge technologies, which account for
more than half of its annual sales. Epson has not licensed its ink-jet
cartridge technology

[Author]

April 6, 2007 at 11:39 AM