Integration News
Tyco settles patent infringement litigation

In May of 2013, Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Tyco) filed a complaint against TaLa. In July of 2014, a German Court in Dusseldorf ruled that TaLa infringed European patent 0 922 274, which is Tyco‘s electronic article surveillance (EAS) AM abrupt bias label patent, which is central to the design and performance of Sensormatic AM labels. The initial court decision called for TaLa to refrain from offering, importing, or possessing AM EAS labels that infringe Tyco’s patent registered with the German Patent Office. TaLa was ordered to disclose the names and addresses of the producers and suppliers of the EAS labels. Additionally, TaLa was responsible for Tyco’s costs for the lawsuit.

The settlement puts an end to any further proceedings in the matter. Ningbo has agreed to stop selling certain acousto-magnetic EAS label models that infringe Tyco’s European patent and pay a confidential amount to Tyco.

This important ruling comes shortly after Tyco’s settlement agreement was announced in which Ningbo is prohibited from importing infringing EAS labels into the United States. In this case, Ningbo agreed to withdraw certain acousto-magnetic EAS label models that infringe Tyco’s US patents along with payment of an unspecified amount to Tyco. These Ningbo labels will be prevented from entering or being sold in the United States.

“The German Court’s decision in the TaLa case and our subsequent settlement, along with our settlement against Ningbo in the U.S., sends a strong message to producers and distributors of infringing EAS products,” said Nancy Chisholm, President, Tyco Retail Solutions. “We will vigorously defend our intellectual property to ensure global availability of high performance, quality AM EAS labels under the Sensormatic brand retailers have trusted for nearly 50 years.”

Tyco pioneered the EAS anti-shoplifting industry through its Sensormatic brand and continues to invest significant research and development resources to innovate this family of products. Tyco also provides a complete portfolio of high-technology Sensormatic security and store performance systems that allow retailers to better manage their inventories, shopper activity, employees and facilities.