“Dongle Gear” Affect Continues

“Dongle Gear” Affect Continues

The infamous saga over Canon’s dongle continues with US authorities seizing infringing toner cartridges that infringe the OEM’s patents.

California-based Graphic Toners Inc., has been issued seizure and forfeiture orders while attempting to import the allegedly infringing toner cartridges.

According to documents submitted to RT Media, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (“Customs”) has denied the entry of the products intended for the above company because they infringe the 337-TA-918 general exclusion order (GEO). In response to the Customs’ report, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) approved and issued the seizure and forfeiture orders against the company.

In May 2014, Canon filed a complaint with the USITC against 34 manufacturers, distributors and sellers of toner cartridges for infringement of its nine U.S. patents (Nos. 8,135,304; 8,280,278; 8,369,744; 8,565,640; 8,630,564; 8,676,085; 8,676,090; 8,682,215; and 8,688,008).

In June 2015, the Administrative Law Judge of USITC recommended a general exclusion order, as well as cease and desist orders on nine Defaulting Respondents, placing a 100 percent bond on all potentially infringing products that were importated during the Presidential review period.

Later the USITC officially granted a GEO on the 337-TA-918 investigation on August 31, 2015.

The matter of the Canon Dongle Gear has been a hotly discussed topic in industry circles and some aftermarket supplies companies have successfully developed their own patented solution that does not infringe Canon’s intellectual property rights.

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