ITC Launches Investigation of Symbol Technologies

The U.S. International Trade Commission has voted to investigate allegations that Symbol Technologies (Holtsville, NY) has violated U.S. trade practices by importing handheld mobile computing devices, components and communications cradles that infringe patents held by Intermec Technologies Corp., Everett, Wash. The ITC investigation involves three Intermec patents that cover pocket-sized handheld computing devices, modular handheld computing devices, and recharging and data exchange cradles for handheld computing devices. The Symbol products that infringe Intermec patents addressed in the complaint are the MC50, the MC9000 and the PPT8800 handheld mobile computing devices, as well as recharging and data exchange cradles for those products. The ITC is charged with stopping goods that infringe a U.S. company's patents from entering the country. The ITC said Thursday it will make a final determination in the investigation "at the earliest practicable time." An ITC investigation typically takes nine to 12 months to complete.