HP kicks up an Ink

Vendor claims the German subsidiary of Korean cartridge refill company InkTec has violated its ink formulation patents

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has filed a formal complaint against the German subsidiary of Korean-based InkTec for violation of HP patents for ink formulations.

Inks contained in the InkTec-branded "do-it-yourself" refill cartridge kits are claimed to violate HP ink patents. To protect these patents, HP has filed the complaint through the court system in Germany where the InkTec inks were found.

"As the global leader in the supplies industry, HP has always been committed to honest and fair competition in every country in which we do business," said Pradeep Jotwani, senior vice president, supplies, at HP's Imaging and Printing Group.

"With more than 4,000 supplies patents, representing a deep heritage of innovation, research and development, HP will continue to vigorously defend intellectual property violations wherever and whenever they are discovered," he added.

The discovery of the challenged InkTec inks is the result of ongoing worldwide testing and enforcement efforts within the supplies unit of HP's Imaging and Printing Group. Over the past year, the initiative has uncovered ink patent infringements by other companies that offer
generic ink supplies through refilling stations or "private label" brands, said HP.