United States Filter Corporation announced today that it has settled on favorable terms three lawsuits brought against Ionics, Inc. for patent infringement. Two of the suits involved USFilter’s continuous electrodeionization (CEDI) technology and the third concerned its II-PLP® reverse osmosis technology.
The patents involved cover various pioneering products and methods for the production of ultra high purity water used in the microelectronics, pharmaceutical, biotech, food and beverage, and power industries.
Highlights of the settlement include the following:
• Payment of a confidential, but substantial certain confidential sum by Ionics to USFilter;
• Entry of a court order that Ionics has infringed U.S. Patent No. 4,574,049, which relates to the process of interstage pH adjustment in product staged reverse osmosis systems, and a permanent injunction against further infringement by Ionics and others;
• An acknowledgment by Ionics that U.S. Patent Nos. 4,632,745, 4,925,541, 4,956,071, and 4,931,160 and U.S. Reissue Patent No. 35,741, which relate to continuous electrodeionization technology, are valid and enforceable;
• No license is granted to Ionics under any patent;
• In the event that Ionics changes its current design and that design were to infringe the patents at issue, USFilter maintains a right to pursue claims of infringement under those patents.
"This settlement gives recognition to the important value of our continuous electrodeionization technology," said Frank Firsching, president of USFilter’s Water & Wastewater Systems Group. "Over the years, we have invested tremendous resources in the development of our industry-leading technology, which has gained an outstanding track record with our customers … We will remain vigilant in the protection of our intellectual property rights."
USFilter is the world’s leading provider of continuous electrodeionization systems. First commercialized more than a decade ago, USFilter’s CDI® System is now used in more than 1,300 installations worldwide.
USFilter is a Vivendi Water company, the leading global provider of commercial, industrial, municipal and residential water and wastewater treatment systems, products and services, with operations in more than 100 countries.
Source: USFilter
