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SUFFERN, NY, September 20, 2005 General Patent
Corporation International (GPCI) announced an important
victory in its patent enforcement campaign on behalf
of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Acticon Technologies
LLC (Acticon). The reexamination of three of Acticons
patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(the USPTO) upheld the validity of all of the claims
of all three patents.
The reexamination proceedings at the USPTO were initiated
by Askey Corporation (Askey) in response to a patent
infringement law suit brought by Acticon against Askey.
Reexamination was requested for three of Acticons
patents: U.S. Patent Nos. 4,603,320 (Connector
Interface), 4,686,506 (Multiple Connector
Interface) and 4,972,470 (Programmable Connector).
The Patent Office disagreed with the applicants
arguments alleging that these patents were invalid in
view of the prior art.
During the reexamination of the 470 Patent, approximately
120 U.S. patents, 10 foreign patents, and 34 non-patent
publications were brought to the attention of the Patent
Office, which nevertheless found that the volumes
of prior art cited by the requester
have been
reviewed in detail
. However, the examiner does
not agree with any of the proposed anticipation/obviousness
conclusions drawn by the requestor.
Acticons patents cover specific aspects of smart
connector devices used in mobile computer communication,
networking, and instrumentation control. GPCI has successfully
represented Acticon in 22 litigations related to these
patents, and has obtained to date 133 licenses and settlements
under the patents.
We were confident from the outset of these proceedings
that the inventions embodied in these patents would
be found to have been patentable, and that the claims
of the patents would be preserved, said Paul Lerner,
GPCIs Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
The question of the validity of these patents
has now been put to rest.
About Acticon Technologies
Acticon Technologies LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary
of General Patent Corporation International, is a computer
connectivity and communications technology company based
in Suffern, NY. Acticons award-winning smart connector
technology is based on U.S. Patent Nos. 4,603,320 (Connector
Interface) (now expired), 4,686,506 (Multiple
Connector Interface) (now expired), 4,972,470
(Programmable Connector), and 4,543,450
(Integrated Connector and Modem) (now expired).
Acticon Technologies offers non-exclusive licenses under
the 470 patent on attractive terms. For licensing
terms, contact Kathlene Ingham at (845) 368-4000, x107.
For more information visit www.acticontech.com.
About General Patent Corporation International
General Patent Corporation International (GPCI) is
the oldest contingency IP licensing and enforcement
firm in the US. GPCI, headquartered in Suffern, NY,
represents clients in IP enforcement matters and licensing
transactions on a contingency basis. For more information
visit www.patentclaim.com.
General Patent Corporation (GPC), an affiliate of GPCI,
is a leading intellectual property management firm.
GPC provides IP analysis and strategy, IP audit and
valuation, IP portfolio mining and management, patent
sale and acquisition, and technology transfer services
to domestic and foreign businesses, universities, research
institutions and individual inventors. For more information
visit www.generalpatent.com.
IP Holdings LLC, another affiliate of GPCI, is an IP-centric
merchant banking organization and an idea incubator.
For more information visit www.ip-holdings.com.
For further information on Acticon, GPC and GPCI contact
General Patent Corporation, Montebello Park, 75 Montebello
Road, Suffern, NY 10901-3740; telephone: (845) 368-4000;
e-mail: info@gpci.com.
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