SEPTEMBER 24, 2009--Cognex (Natick, MA, USA; www.cognex.com) has accepted a settlement offer from Yxlon International GmbH and its U.S. subsidiary in a dispute concerning the importation and sale of equipment containing MVTec Halcon machine-vision software. Yxlon is a supplier of industrial x-ray inspection systems and industrial computed tomography solutions for the nondestructive testing of materials. Terms of the settlement between the parties were not made public.
Cognex has alleged in complaints filed with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) and in federal court in Massachusetts that Halcon software, marketed by MVTec Software GmbH, infringes at least three Cognex machine-vision patents. The ITC is investigating 20 companies for violating Cognex patents by selling, importing and using MVTec products that contain machine vision technology invented and patented by Cognex. A prior settlement with Multitest Electronische Systeme GmbH was announced on Sept. 8, 2009.
The current settlement agreement releases Yxlon from the ITC investigation. Yxlon is not a party to the federal court lawsuit.
"Cognex is pleased with Yxlon's decision to seek settlement of this matter, and we value this as an opportunity to build a successful partnership with Yxlon and its worldwide affiliates going forward," says Todd Keebaugh, Cognex vice president of legal affairs.
-- Posted by Vision Systems Design, www.vision-systems.com
