SanDisk, a provider of flash storage cards, has announced that an administrative law judge for the US International Trade Commission issued an initial determination which found that certain accused flash memory products did not infringe the remaining two SanDisk US patents.
SanDisk initially asserted five patents in the International Trade Commission (ITC) on October 24, 2007 against 25 companies that manufacture, sell and import USB flash drives, CompactFlash cards, MultiMedia cards, MP3/media players and/or other removable flash storage products. Since then, SanDisk obtained judgments against the following companies: Zotek Electronic dba Zodata Technology; Infotech Logistic dba Supertron Memory; Add-On Technology; Behavior Tech Computer; Emprex Technologies; and Behavior Tech Computer USA dba BTC USA.
In addition, the following companies entered into settlement and license agreements with SanDisk: Trek 2000 International, PNY Technologies, Verbatim Corporation, Verbatim Americas, Add-On Computer Peripherals, Inc and Add-On Computer Peripherals, LLC (collectively, Add-On USA), Edge Tech Corporation, Infotech Logistic, Interactive Media (Kanguru), Kaser Corporation, TSR Silicon Resources, and Welldone Company.
Further, the following companies entered into settlement agreements that included consent orders where the companies agreed to limit their imports of specified products to the US to SanDisk licensed products: A-Data Technology Company and A-Data Technology (USA) (collectively, A-Data entities), Melco Holdings, Buffalo, Inc and Buffalo Technology (USA), (collectively, Buffalo entities) and Corsair Memory.
Earle Thompson, vice president and chief intellectual property counsel at SanDisk, said: SanDisk is disappointed by the initial determination of the administrative law judge. We will continue to vigorously pursue actions against companies that use SanDisk’s patented technology without a license. SanDisk expects that the initial determination will not adversely impact existing licensing agreements or the royalties expected from those agreements.