The USITC’s headquarters in Washington D.C.
The USITC has announced it will conduct investigations into Canon’s complaint that 26 companies are infringing one or more of their imageRUNNER patents.
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has confirmed that the Commission will conduct two investigations into the complaint by Canon.
The investigation is regarding “Certain toner supply containers and components thereof” and the investigation number is 337-TA-1259.
In March, Canon lawyers filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against 26 manufacturers, distributors and sellers of toner supply containers. Canon alleges the 26 companies sell products that infringe one of more of their patents that relate to the Canon imageRUNNER series of copiers.
The companies are:
| Anhuiyatengshangmaoyouxiangongsi | NAR Cartridges |
| ChengDuXiangChangNanShiYouSheBeiYouXianGongSi | Ninestar Corporation |
| Copier Repair Specialists, Inc. | Ninestar Image Tech Limited |
| Digital Marketing Corporation | Ninestar Technology Company, Ltd. |
| Do It Wiser LLC | Shenzhenshi Keluodeng Kejiyouxiangognsi |
| Easy Group, LLC | Sichuan Wiztoner Technology Co., Ltd. |
| General Plastic Industrial Co. Ltd. | Sichuan XingDian Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Hefeierlandianzishangwuyouxiangongsi | Static Control Components, Inc. |
| Ink Technologies Printer Supplies, LLC | Sun Data Supply, Inc. |
| Katun Corporation | The Supplies Guys, LLC |
| Kuhlmann Enterprises, Inc. | Xianshi yanliangqu canqiubaihuodianshanghang |
| LD Products, Inc. | Zhuhai Henyun Image Co., Ltd. |
| MITOCOLOR INC. | Zinyaw LLC |
Canon asserts the following patents have been infringed: 8,565,649; 9,354,551; 9,753,402; 10,209,667; 10,289,060; 10,289,061; 10,295,957; 10,488,814; 10,496,032; 10,496,033; 10,514,654; 10,520,881; and 10,520,882.
The patents relate to the Canon imageRUNNER copier series and the following toner supply containers: GPR-51, GPR-52, GPR-53, GPR-53/GPR-53L, GPR-55/GPR-55L, GPR-57, GPR-58 and GPR-62.
Having considered the complaint, the USITC ordered “pursuant to section 210.10(a)(6) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 C.F.R. 210.10(a)(6), two separate investigations be instituted based on the complaint to further efficient adjudication, (…)”
The notice concluded: “Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondents, to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing such findings, and may result in the issuance of an exclusion order or a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondents.”
