Honeywell in ITC complaint over bar code patents

Honeywell said it took additional legal actions against Code Corp., a company that manufactures bar code readers, for alleged infringement of Honeywell patents.

“Honeywell filed a complaint asking the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to preclude Code from importing into the U.S. its products that infringe Honeywell’s patents, such as the CR2600 bar code reader, as well as some of its components that are manufactured abroad,” said Honeywell.

“Honeywell also filed a second patent infringement lawsuit against Code in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

“Both actions claim that Code’s bar code readers, including the CR2600 and its components, infringe Honeywell patents.”

Honeywell said that in January, it filed patent infringement lawsuit against Code in US District Court for South Carolina for alleged infringement of multiple patents related to Honeywell’s bar code reading technology.

It said the two new actions are directed toward six additional patents “that are fundamental to the performance of modern bar code readers and scan engines.”

The average remaining life of these patents is more than eight years.

“We believe Code has engaged in widespread infringement of Honeywell intellectual property with its bar code readers,” said Lisa London, president of Honeywell’s Productivity Products business .

“Our actions today further demonstrate our intent to prevent Code from continuing to profit from that practice.

“Fair competition starts with respecting the patent rights of others. We will pursue every legal avenue we can to protect our intellectual property.”

In its complaint, Honeywell said it has asked the ITC to investigate its claims, issue an exclusion order to bar the importation of Code’s patent-infringing bar code readers and scan engines into the US, and issue cease and desist orders prohibiting Code from selling any products found to infringe Honeywell’s patents.