Jury rules for Faro in patent suit with Nikon

by SPAR Point Group staff | August 22, 2012

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Faro Technologies announced last week that it received a jury verdict in its favor in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in the patent litigation brought against Faro by Nikon Metrology, Inc. (formerly Metris USA, Inc.) and its affiliates in July of 2008. The court found Nikon Metrology's patent claims invalid.  While Nikon may attempt to appeal the decision, the jury verdict favorably concludes this stage of the litigation, Faro said. 

U.S. Patent No. 7,313,264, the sole remaining object of the suit, was issued in December of 2007 and was related to Faro's laser line probe accessory used with some FaroArms in the marketplace, according to the press release.  The U.S. District Court previously ruled in summary judgment that Faro did not infringe a separate Nikon patent, U.S. Patent No. 6,611,617, as initially alleged by Nikon.

"The resolution emphasizes the uniqueness of Faro's technology.  Faro carefully designs its products to ensure that intellectual property rights of third parties are respected while maintaining its own significant patent portfolio.  Faro is prepared to defend itself and protect its portfolio any time it is necessary to do so," said Jay Freeland, Faro president and CEO, in a statement.