Xerox Corp has filed suit against US Robotics Corp for patent infringement concerning USR’s Pilot hand-held computer device and its separately-sold Graffiti software. The patent in question, issued to Xerox January 21, 1997, covers handwriting recognition technology known as Unistrokes that was developed by Xerox in 1993. It allows users to input text with pen strokes through the use of a specially designed alphabet system. Xerox claims that an executive at Palm Computing Inc, acquired by US Robotics back in 1995 (CI No 2,743), approached the company about licensing Unistrokes and was told that a patent was pending on it. US Robotics went ahead and adopted the technology without obtaining a license to do so, according to Xerox. When the patent was issued, US Robotics was notified and, although the two companies talked, no license was issued. In fact, Xerox says it hasn’t licensed the technology to anyone. The suit seeks unspecified damages for willful and deliberate infringement and an injunction to prevent US Robotics’ continued use of the technology. A spokesperson for Xerox said the company would be open to the possibility of a settlement.
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