China-based Ninestar Image Company has acknowledged it has infringed of patents held by HP for inkjet cartridges and reached a settlement with HP.
As part of the settlement, Ninestar acknowledges that HP’s patents for HP 02 and HP 14 inkjet cartridges are valid and infringed, and has agreed to stop selling the cartridges in question in the United States and other countries where HP has corresponding patent rights. Additionally, the company has agreed to pay HP an undisclosed sum of money.
According to Stephen Nigro, the senior vice president for HP's Inkjet and Web Services Business, Imaging and Printing Group, HP is committed to defending its investment in intellectual property and will continue to vigorously pursue legal enforcement against practices that do not respect HP’s IP rights. He added that HP was pleased with the timely resolution of this matter and would continue to monitor the marketplace for intellectual property infringements.
This is the second time that HP has had issues over patent violations with Ninestar. In July 2006, HP filed complaints with both the U.S. District Court and the International Trade Commission for patent infringement relating to a different set of inkjet cartridges. The parties reached a settlement in March 2007 in which Ninestar admitted the validity of HP’s patents and agreed to remove its products from sale in specified countries.