HP receives favourable ITC ruling in patency-infringing ink cartridge case November 02, 2011 14:32 by Mike Derges

HP has announced that it has received a favourable review by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) with regards to patent-infringing ink cartridges.

The company has stated that the ITC has upheld its initial ruling, which was announced in June 2011, and makes additional findings of infringements.

According to HP, the ITC has agreed that Asia Pacific Microsystems (APM) is a contributory patent-infringer of if ink cartridges and print heads.

On top of this, it was highlighted that APM was liable for influencing other organisations to take part in the copyright-breaking activity through supplying the products.

The ITC also found that MicroJet Technology and PTC Holdings are direct infringers of HP's patency for manufacturing and selling fake ink cartridges.

"HP makes a tremendous investment in developing innovative products for our customers and is committed to pursuing action to protect these innovations and, by extension, the value we deliver to our customers," said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president in the imaging and printing group at HP.

He added: "HP is pleased with the outcome on these matters and the ITC's enforcement of intellectual property rights."

The ITC's decision was based on investigations into a complaint filed by HP in June 2010.

On top of this, the printer ink firm alleged that violations of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 were affecting the importation and sale of real HP ink cartridges, with organisation's selling patent-breaching products.

Earlier this year, HP announced that Ghanaian law enforcement officials confiscated nearly 1,100 fake inkjet products.

The police action in May saw authorities raid retail outlets, seizing a total of 125 finished copyright infringing ink cartridges and 970 counterfeit ready-for-sale cartridges.

Ghanaian officials detained six people associated with the operation, and this has led to anti-counterfeit actions.

"People who buy counterfeit print cartridges and other fake merchandise believe mistakenly that they're receiving original products, and they deserve the high quality and performance for which they're paying," said Amr Hassan, general manager in the imaging and printing group at HP.