http://thedeathofthecopier.blogspot.com/2009/09/ricoh-files-us-patent-infringement-suit.html
RICOH FILES U.S. PATENT INFRINGEMENT LAWSUIT AGAINST OKI-DATA
Ricoh
Company, Ltd. (Shiro Kondo, President and CEO. Hereafter “Ricoh”),
Ricoh Americas Corporation, Ricoh’s managing sales company in the
United States (Kazuo Togashi, CEO. Hereafter “RAC”), and Ricoh
Electronics, Inc., Ricoh’s manufacturing company in the United States
(Yoshinori Yamashita, President) filed a complaint with the United
States International Trade Commission on September 18, 2009 (U.S. EST)
against Oki Data Corporation (hereafter “Oki Data”) and Oki Data
Americas, Inc. (Oki Data’s United States subsidiary) for violation of
Section 337 of the United States Tariff Act of 1930.
Among other
things, Ricoh seeks an exclusion order from the ITC barring Oki Data’s
importation of Oki Data products that practice certain United States
patents owned by Ricoh. Further, on the same day, Ricoh and RAC filed a
complaint in the United States District Court for the District of
Delaware (State of Delaware) against Oki Data and Oki Data Americas,
Inc. for infringement of other United States patents owned by Ricoh.
Together, the lawsuits concern eight United States patents that cover
products including digital multifunction printers (MFP) and printers.
Since
April of 2006, Ricoh and Oki Data have been negotiating for the renewal
of a patent license agreement between the two companies. Because the
companies have been unable to reach an agreement, Ricoh is taking
necessary action to protect its intellectual property against
unauthorized use. Ricoh respects the intellectual property rights of
others, and expects the same treatment in return.