iRobot targets Hoover and Black & Decker in patent suits
US-based technology company iRobot Corporation has sued vacuum cleaner business Hoover and Black & Decker in two separate patent infringement lawsuits.
iRobot filed its suits at the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts on Monday, April 17, accusing the companies of infringing its Roomba line of robot vaccum products.
In the Black & Decker suit, iRobot argued that the company and Shenzen Silver Star Intelligent Technology (SSSIT) had infringed its patents.
The patents concerned are US numbers 7,155,308, called “Robot obstacle detection system”; 8,474,090, titled “Autonomous floor-cleaning robot”; and 6,809,490, called “Method and system for multi-mode coverage for an autonomous robot”.
iRobot argued that Black & Decker’s BDH5000 robot vacuum cleaner, which is manufactured by SSSIT for Black & Decker, infringed the patents.
iRobot’s Hoover suit also named SSSIT as a defendant.
The Hoover suit centred on US patent numbers ‘308, ‘090 and ‘490, as well as 9,038,233, called “Autonomous floor-cleaning robot”; 8,600,553, titled “Coverage robot mobility”; and 9,486,924, called “Remote control scheduler and method for autonomous robotic device”.
iRobot argued that Hoover’s product Quest 1000 robotic vacuum had infringed its patents.
In both suits, iRobot asked for an injunction against the defendants, compensatory damages, expenses, costs, attorneys’ fees and a jury trial.
A spokesperson for iRobot told WIPR: "As the consumer robot company, and with more than 15 million robots sold worldwide, iRobot has invested significantly in the development of robotic technologies and the protection of our IP. The filing of this litigation signals our commitment to protecting our investments.
"iRobot will not stand by while others offer products that infringe on our IP. We are confident that our strategy will result in continued growth and maintaining our global leadership position."
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