Vector Products and Schumacher Electric Reach Settlement

Vector Products Inc. (Fort Lauderdale, FL), a developer of automotive portable power products, announced the settlement of a patent infringement lawsuit it brought against Schumacher Electric Corp. (Mount Prospect, IL). As part of the settlement, Schumacher Electric has agreed to cease selling high-frequency battery charger products with an engine start or alternator test feature, which Vector claimed infringed its patent. Schumacher has also agreed to pay Vector patent damages in an amount to be determined in arbitration before the end of the year.

"Vector vigorously defends its intellectual property rights and this settlement achieves the results Vector sought in filing the lawsuit against Schumacher. Vector will continue to protect and maintain its patent exclusivity to manufacture and sell its innovative line of high-frequency battery charger models with engine start and alternator test features over the next several years," stated Vector President and CEO Michael Krieger.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office issued Patent No. 6,822,425 to Vector on November 23, 2004. Vector, represented by Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Venable LLP, filed the patent infringement suit against Schumacher that same day in a Federal District Court in Florida. The settlement followed Vector's win in court on all of the disputed claim construction terms that define the scope of Vector's patent.