US-based technology company iRobot Corporation has settled its patent quarrel with US manufacturer Black & Decker line of robot vacuum products, accused Black & Decker of patent infringement back in April at the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The robot vacuum maker claimed that Black & Decker and Shenzen Silver Star Intelligent Technology (SSSIT) had infringed three patents: US numbers 7,155,308, 8,474,090, and 6,809,490. Black & Decker’s BDH5000 robot vacuum cleaner, which is manufactured by SSSIT for Black & Decker, allegedly infringed the patents.
In May, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) agreed to investigate nine companies, including vacuum maker Hoover and Black & Decker, after iRobot had filed a complaint against the companies, accusing them of infringing six patents. On December 18, iRobot announced it had reached a confidential agreement with Black & Decker. Black & Decker has agreed to discontinue sales of all home robotic vacuums for a certain period of time after selling its existing inventory. As part of the agreement, iRobot will remove Black & Decker from the pending ITC and the Massachusetts cases.

Source: WIPR