Bosch drives Mando to court in patent suit

Technology company Bosch has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against automobile equipment supplier Mando.

Filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan yesterday, September 29, Bosch’s suit claimed that Mando has infringed four of its patents.

The four patents, US numbers 5,865,213; 6,082,244; 6,846,050; and 8,591,209, concern motor safety systems including antilock brake systems and electronic stability control.

Bosch said it was the first company to introduce antilock brake systems, which use a control unit to constantly evaluate the speed of all wheels, to the automobile market in 1978.

The electronic stability control, also known as an electronic stability programme, combines the antilock brake system and traction control system, which prevents a car’s wheels from spinning and skidding.

In the suit, Mando, which is based in South Korea, was accused of selling infringing products, such as brake parts, directly and through subsidiaries.

Bosch alleged that Mando had knowledge of the infringement since at least July last year, when Bosch sent a letter identifying the products and patents being infringed.

The company is seeking injunctive relief, damages, triple damages for wilful infringement and a jury trial.

Bosch said its research and development activities, which cost $4 billion a year, are currently protected by approximately 82,000 patents.