NCR Sues Palm and Handspring – Alleging Patent Infringement

Computer system maker NCR Corp. sued Palm Inc. (and Handspring Inc.), alleging their hand-held computers infringed on two NCR-owned core patents.

In papers filed on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Delaware, NCR said, “Palm and Handspring knew about the NCR patents, (but) chose not to seek licenses from NCR.” The technology allows retail and consumer users access to and the ability to manage “substantial” amounts of information.

The lawsuit cited two products, the Palm Pilot and Handspring Visor (news – web sites), as allegedly infringing devices that have had ”tremendous commercial success.”

The patents at issue, both granted in 1987, are for a ”Portable personal terminal for use in a system for handling transactions,” and for a “System for handling transactions including a portable personal terminal.”

NCR asked for a jury trial on its demands that Palm and Handspring be blocked from making any more of the products, and that NCR be awarded compensatory and actual damages.