Intermec files patent infringement lawsuit against Alien Technology

Intermec, Inc. has filed suit against Alien Technology in the US District Court for the District of Delaware for patent infringement. Intermec alleges that Alien’s Generation 2 RFID readers and tags infringe 10 Intermec patents. Intermec is seeking an injunction prohibiting Alien from selling the infringing RFID products, as well as monetary damages.

Intermec has also filed a motion to dismiss a declaratory judgment action filed by Alien in the US District Court for the District of North Dakota. Intermec is moving to dismiss the case on the ground that the North Dakota federal court does not have jurisdiction to hear the case.

An RFID pioneer, Intermec holds more than 150 RFID patents, including patents core to the use of RFID. Committed to providing industry access to its RFID patent estate, Intermec in 2005 offered a Rapid Start RFID licensing program that provided access to portfolios of its RFID patents. Twenty RFID industry leaders, including RFID, chip, tag, reader, printer and wireless network manufacturers, were selected for the program. Alien Technology is not one of the licensees.