Two automated data capture firms have settled an intellectual
property rights dispute over radio frequency identification (RFID)
technology.
Intermec Technologies and Symbol Technologies have been in
dispute since June 2004, when Intermec filed a patent infringement
lawsuit against Matrics – acquired by Symbol Technologies in July
2004 – related to RFID patents.
The four US patents covered aspects of the basic RFID system:
chip, tag and reader, and the interface between these elements.
The agreement made between the two firms will see Symbol joining
Intermec’s Rapid Start RFID intellectual property licensing
programme, giving it access to Intermec patents covering RFID tags
and readers.
In turn, Symbol will give Intermec access to its own RFID
intellectual property through cross-licensing provisions in the
Rapid Start programme.
In a statement, the two firms said they believed the deal was “a
fair compromise of the issues related to RFID”.
They added, “Subsequent efforts to reach resolution of all legal
disputes is in the best interests of shareholders and customers and
will encourage accelerated adoption of RFID and automated data
collection technologies within the industry.”