InterDigital Inc (IDCC)

[nieves]

OT:Canon wins patent-infringement lawsuit
against Pelikan Hardcopy in Germany


TOKYO, January 17, 2003 — The Düsseldorf District Court in Germany ruled on January 16 (German standard time) in favor of Canon Inc. in a patent-infringement lawsuit filed against Pelikan Hardcopy Deutschland GmbH* and Pelikan Hardcopy European Logistics & Services GmbH*.

Alleging that Pelikan Hardcopy's marketing of several ink-jet printer cartridges for use in Canon-brand ink-jet printers infringed Canon patents, Canon instituted legal proceedings calling for a permanent injunction against any further distribution and marketing by Pelikan Hardcopy of the infringing cartridges, as well as the disposal of all remaining inventories and compensation of damages.

In the ruling the court acknowledged in full Canon's claim that Pelikan Hardcopy infringed Canon intellectual property rights and issued an injunction preventing Pelikan Hardcopy from the further distribution and sale of the infringing cartridges. The amount of compensation Pelikan Hardcopy is to pay Canon for related damages will be determined in the future.

Canon has made a substantial investment in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of its products over the years and views the Düsseldorf District Court's judgment as a validation of the company's intellectual property rights protecting the technology it has realized over this period. Canon, as one of its fundamental tenets, has always held the intellectual property rights of other companies in the highest esteem and expects, as a matter of due course, reciprocity from other companies.

* Pelikan Hardcopy Deutschland GmbH and Pelikan Hardcopy European Logistics & Services GmbH are independent of the Pelikan quality fountain pen company.


Daniel Nieves