Will Canon Win All the Patent Lawsuits?

It has been more than two months since Canon sued 50 manufacturers of new-built cartridges and their U.S. distributors. Canon accused the companies of making and selling toner cartridges and photosensitive drum units which infringe Canon’s patents, U.S. numbers 9,746,826; 9,836,021; 9,841,727; 9,841,728; 9,841,729; 9,857,764; 9,857,765; 9,869,960 and 9,874,846.

In the past month, we can see Canon almost everywhere every day. We can’t help asking when the end is. Recently, at least 4 lawsuits in the U.S. has resolved. Canon had won all the four cases. Details are as below:

 

  • Zeetoner
    In May 22, Canon announced the conclusion of a patent infringement lawsuit against 9010-8077 Quebec Inc., known as Zeetoner, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, concerning certain toner cartridges sold for use in Canon and HP laser beam printers. Zeetoner stipulated to a Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction from the Eastern District of New York, prohibiting the company from making, using, selling and offering for sale in the United States and from importing into the United States, the toner cartridges that Canon accused of infringing U.S. Patent Numbers as above.
  • CLT Computers and Fairland
    Just several days before the above lawsuit, for the same patent issue, CLT Computers, Inc. and Fairland, LLC, which had been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, got the same Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction in May 17.
  • Bluedog Distribution
    Canon concluded one “southern” case in April 17. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida sentenced Bluedog Distribution Inc. not to distribute the patent infringing in the United States.
  • Print After Print
    Just the next day of the Bluedog and Canon reached the agreement to the consent judgment, the court decision on Print After Print was also made by the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. The Phoenix-based company also face the same situation as all the above companies.

It seems Canon never failed in the patent filing (not only the US case, but also Europe case Grey Systems GmbH and Biggest Discount). And the public may wonder: Will Canon win ALL?

In RT Media’s program “inTouch News #288”, Christian Pepper—President of LD Products Channel Partner Division—talks to David Gibbons about the Canon dongle gear case in the U.S. impacting his company and others. Also Pepper said they are defending the claim and raising issues relating to the scope and validity of Canon’s continuous patents which are different from the first time Canon sue around dongle gear technology. Ian Elliott, the founder and CEO of E&S Solutions also told us that Canon’s patents may be not valid. (inTouch News #287).

But as Canon always claimed in its announcement, Canon will continue the fight for any patent infringement occurred. Early this month, Canon files a new complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Ink Technologies Printer Supplies, LLC, for infringement of Canon’s U.S. Patent No. 9,581,958.

The conclusions mentioned above are otherwise the latest result in the Canon court cases. The OEM and aftermarket will have to wait until the ITC reached a determination. RT Media will follow closely to the progress.

(Source: Canon U.S.A., Canon Global, RT Media inTouch News)

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