Bologna, 27 July 2007 - Datalogic S.p.A., the leading European manufacturer of barcode readers and mobile computers, and one of the largest worldwide, informs that it has commenced preliminary enforcement of the favorable first instance patent infringement judgment handed down in Germany against Sick AG, Datalogic's most important competitor in the field of unattended scanning systems.
On 13 February 2007 the District Court of Düsseldorf issued its decision ordering Sick AG to refrain from offering and delivering in Germany scanning systems, comprising barcode scanners and control units, which fall within the scope of protection of the asserted European patent valid in Germany. In addition to the injunction, the Court also ordered Sick AG to pay damages derived from past infringement running from August 2003 and for any future infringement. The amount of damages will be subject to future quantification and will be communicated as soon as definitive. The decision of the District Court of Düsseldorf is not yet final and binding since Sick AG filed an appeal against the decision and the patent validity has been challenged by Sick AG.
The European patent No. 851,376 B1 in question covers an improvement of a tracking system which associates scanner read barcodes with objects traveling on conveyors and provides striking advantages for the manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and postal markets, especially for highly demanding postal parcel sorting and baggage handling/sorting applications.
"Datalogic retains exclusive rights on this patented technology also in the other main European countries and in the United States of America, where patents covering this technology have been granted. This technology is commercially known as PackTrackTM and is a key success feature of the top-of-the-line-scanners offered by Datalogic Automation, Datalogic's division focused specifically on unattended scanning systems. The PackTrackTM increases significantly the productivity and overall capability of the typical automatic sorting stations used by post, couriers, distribution centers and in airport baggage handling systems" stated Roberto Tunioli, Datalogic Vice Chairman and C.E.O.
"We are very pleased with this outcome which affirms our long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of innovation and confirm our firm intention to vigorously pursue infringers to safeguard a future based on solid Intellectual Property wealth".
