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Acticon Technologies Settles Patent Infringement Suit with Heisei; Court Recommends Permanent Injunction Against Lycom and Advance Creative |
SUFFERN, NY, October 16, 2007 - General Patent Corporation International (GPCI), a leading patent licensing and enforcement firm, has achieved another victory in its campaign to enforce a portfolio of "smart connector" patents owned by its subsidiary, Acticon Technologies LLC (Acticon). GPCI announced today that Acticon has settled its patent infringement lawsuit against Heisei Electronics Co., Ltd. of Taiwan and Heisei USA, LLC of Azusa, CA (Heisei). Acticon brought suit against Heisei and two other defendants in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Case No. 06 Civ 4316). Heisei ultimately agreed to settle the lawsuit and to take a license under the patents. The other defendants - Lycom Technology, Inc. and Advance Creative Computer Corp., both of Taiwan - failed to answer the Complaint, and a default judgment was entered against them. After an inquest on damages, the Magistrate Judge recommended compensatory damages, treble damages due to willfulness, pre-judgment interest, attorneys' fees and costs, and a permanent injunction barring these defendants from selling the infringing products in the U.S. "We are pleased that Heisei has taken a license," said Paul Lerner, Sr. Vice President and General Counsel for GPCI. "Unfortunately, the other defendants chose to ignore not only our entreaties to take a license, but the Court's order to appear and defend themselves. While we realize that a permanent injunction is a very serious matter, we felt that all other possible remedies had been exhausted." Acticon's "smart connector" patents cover specific aspects of PC cards and other "smart connector" devices used in mobile computer communications, networking, and instrumentation control. GPCI has successfully represented Acticon in 26 lawsuits and one hundred forty-five licensing transactions related to these patents. About Acticon Technologies Acticon Technologies LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Patent Corporation International, is a computer connectivity and communications technology company based in Suffern, NY. Acticon's award-winning smart connector technology is based on U.S. Patent Nos. 4,543,450 ("Integrated Connector and Modem") (now expired), 4,603,320 ("Connector Interface") (now expired), 4,686,506 ("Multiple Connector Interface") (now expired), and 4,972,470 ("Programmable Connector"). Acticon Technologies offers non-exclusive licenses under the '470 patent. For licensing terms, contact Kathlene Ingham at (845) 368-4000, x107. About General Patent Corporation International General Patent Corporation (GPC), an affiliate of GPCI, is a leading intellectual property management firm. GPC provides IP analysis and strategy, IP audit and valuation, IP portfolio mining and management, and technology transfer services to domestic and foreign businesses, universities, research institutions and individual inventors. For more information on GPC visit www.generalpatent.com. IP Holdings LLC, another affiliate of GPCI, is an IP-centric merchant banking organization focusing on IP monetization, patent brokerage and IP-related financial services. IP Holdings also operates an idea incubator nurturing early-stage technologies and IP. For more information on IP Holdings visit www.ip-holdings.com. For further information on Acticon, GPCI, GPC and IP Holdings contact General Patent Corporation, Montebello Park, Suffern, NY 10901-3740; telephone: (845) 368-4000; e-mail: info@gpci.com. |