Inkjet & Digital Printing

Ricoh Americas, Xerox Corporation and Lexmark File Action with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to Combat Patent-Licensing Demands

Thursday 27. March 2014 - Action part of ongoing commitment to protect customers and dealer networks

Ricoh Americas Corporation, Xerox Corporation and Lexmark International, Inc. today filed two Petitions for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 8,488,173; and certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,477,410 at the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). The new actions are being filed jointly by all three companies in a continuing effort to protect Ricoh, Xerox and Lexmark customers and dealers against the assertion of these patents by MPHJ Technology Investments LLC.
As part of the Inter Partes Review Petition, Ricoh, Xerox and Lexmark are seeking a ruling from the USPTO that the claims are unpatentable and were fully anticipated by various prior art references.
This is the second in series of actions that the companies have undertaken to demonstrate their commitment to their customers and authorized dealer networks. In May 2013, Ricoh and Xerox filed action to nullify U.S. Patent No. 7,986,426 and help disable MPHJ’s licensing campaign against its customers.
In addition, MPHJ’s business practices are currently under investigation or have previously been investigated by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as well as the Attorneys General of Minnesota, Nebraska, New York and Vermont.
In a joint statement, the companies said “Ricoh, Xerox and Lexmark have clear positions on the protection of intellectual property. We feel strongly that the infringement claims are without merit and the licensing demands of MPHJ are unsubstantiated. We feel it is important to take this action to support our customers and dealer networks from these frivolous claims.”
Ricoh, Xerox and Lexmark will continue to monitor MPHJ’s licensing efforts and will update their customers and authorized dealer networks with any further developments regarding the USPTO’s Review.