The prospects for Glenrothes, Scotland disk drive manufacturer Rodime Plc will improve immeasurably if the company can make the patents it has taken out on the design and concept of the 3.5 Winchester stick – and Rodime this week won a significant victory in its battle. The US Patent & Trademark Office said that its claims on the two patents are patentable, and the announcement has sent Rodime into top gear. Its lawyers are drafting letters to companies that may require a licence under the patents informing them of the outcome of re-examination and offering them licence terms. The patents are the subject of pending patent infringement lawsuits with IBM and Conner Peripherals Inc – in the IBM case it was the Armonk firm that brought the suit, alleging that the patents had no validity.
