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Belkin Wins Appeal Against ACCO
Friday, September 14, 2007
Patent Infringement Ruling is Reversed
Federal Circuit overturns 2004 district court ruling stating ACCO Brands lacked substantial evidence to support their infringement claim against Belkin’s Key Lock
Compton, CA -- Belkin International, Inc., the global leader in connectivity solutions, announces that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington D.C. reversed a May 2004 finding of infringement by Belkin with respect to a laptop computer lock patent held by Kensington, a division of ACCO Brands, Inc.
Belkin appealed the 2004 decision by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to the Federal Circuit, arguing that the jury’s findings of induced infringement and willful infringement are not supported by substantial evidence. Further, Belkin contended that the jury award of damages is unsupported by substantial evidence and that the district court abused its discretion by awarding Kensington enhanced damages and attorney fees.
In a unanimous decision made on September 12, 2007, the Federal Circuit agreed with Belkin on each of these points, stating "ACCO failed to prove the threshold requirement of direct infringement" and "failed to point to specific instances of direct infringement." Therefore, the Federal Circuit reversed the district court’s judgment of induced infringement, and vacated the district court’s judgment with respect to willfulness, enhanced damages, and attorney fees against Belkin.
QUOTES
Mark Reynoso, President for Belkin International, Inc.:
- We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the appeal. As an organization, Belkin respects the intellectual property right of others and follows a strict policy to avoid violating such rights. However, when we are wrongly accused of IP infringement, we will fully defend ourselves until we are exonerated. This case proves our steadfast willingness to defend ourselves against unfounded assertions of intellectual property right infringement.
- Belkin is committed to bringing innovative and well-designed products to the market. This dedication has been proven through the various technology and design awards our products have won in recent years and continues to win.
About Belkin International, Inc.
Belkin offers a diverse product mix that provides people with seamless electronics integration in their homes, cars, and on the go. Founded in California in 1983, Belkin is a privately held company and the recognized leader in connectivity solutions, in addition to accessories for MP3 devices, computers, and more. We provide extensive solutions for networking, home theater—with our PureAV® line of cables, power, and digital wireless accessories—and many more categories. You can view and purchase them at www.belkin.com, as well as through a network of major distributors, resellers, and superstores.
Belkin’s phenomenal growth has led to our expanding global presence. In addition to corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, we now have offices throughout Europe—in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany, among others—and in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, Shanghai, and our regional headquarters in Hong Kong.
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