Harris, NEC Settle Patent LawsuitsHarris, NEC Settle Patent Lawsuits

LONDON -- NEC Corporation and Harris Corp. have settled their long running patent infringement lawsuits in which the Japanese group claimed Florida-based Harris infringed its IP related to digital microwave equipment used for wireless communications.

As part of the settlement, Harris has agreed to take a royalty-bearing, non-exclusive license under NEC’s Digital Microwave Radio patents. NEC agreed to dismiss all claims covered by the lawsuits filed in September 2004 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and the Federal Court of Canada.

Harris in turn also said it would dismiss all claims covered by a counter-suit it took out in December 2004 against NEC in a Texas District Court.

The company also agreed to grant NEC a royalty-bearing, non-exclusive license under Harris’ patents for PBXs and other key telephone systems.

In another part of the deal, Harris has agreed to buy from NEC certain unidentified PBX patents, and the companies have sealed a patent cross licensing arrangement over other product categories.

The companies would not reveal any other financial terms related to the settlement.