Symbol files Wi-Fi patent infringement suit against Intermec

Symbol Technologies Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Intermec Technologies Corp. The lawsuit, alleging Intermec's infringement of Symbol patents covering wireless communications technologies. Symbol has also terminated its supplier relationship with Intermec for laser scan engines, which Intermec embeds in its bar code scanning equipment.

Symbol alleges that Intermec infringes Symbol's patents relating to the wireless communications standard 802.11, also known as Wi-Fi. The lawsuit also covers Intermec's use of Symbol Wi-Fi patents in Intermec's bar code scanning terminals.

Intermec says there is no basis for this lawsuit, and believes the suit is an apparent reaction to Intermec's radio frequency identification (RFID) patent-infringement lawsuit against Matrics Inc., filed in June 2004. Symbol acquired the lawsuit in September 2004 when it purchased Matrics. Intermec has charged that Matrics made, used, sold and offered for sale in the U.S. RFID products that infringe Intermec's RFID patents.

Despite Symbol's decision to stop supplying laser scan engines, Intermec states it is "well positioned to supply all scanning products, including lasers, indefinitely."