Harman and D&M Holdings settle patent litigation
Published: ASIA
WORLD: Harman and its subsidiary Studer Professional Audio GmbH have announced the settlement of a long-running legal dispute with D&M Holdings and its subsidiary Calrec Audio. In a short statement released to the press, both Harman International Industries and D&M declared that the new settlement agreement is intended to resolve two lawsuits regarding Studer’s FaderGlow technology.
Studer originally filed suit against D&M and Calrec in October 2011, alleging the infringement of three patents owned by the Harman Professional brand, namely US patent number 7,682,044, US patent number 7,784,968, and European patent (UK) 1,665,593.
All three patents are related to the FaderGlow technology that is incorporated in Studer's Vista 9 Series digital mixing consoles and Soundcraft's Vi and Si Series digital consoles. The lawsuits now either have been or are in the process of being dismissed, while D&M has agreed to modify Calrec’s Apollo and Artemis consoles. All other terms of the settlement remain confidential.
The settlement follows the issuing of Ex Parte Reexamination Certificates by the United States Patent & Trademark Office in February and November 2013, confirming the patentability of original and new claims of the 7,682,044 and 7,784,968 patents.