HP has found itself on the wrong side of the courts, with a company claiming that it infringed its patents.
HP has been hauled up in front of a California judge after a computer company, ACCO, claimed that it copied a patent relating to a "computer physical security device" - identified as a laptop lock and otherwise known as patent 7100 403.
It claims that HP, alongside ASINT and the individuals Sean Arnett and Javid Vahid, directly infringed the patent by flogging products that mimicked it. It's also claimed that, despite asking the companies to put a stop on sales, they are still peddling their wares.
ACCO wants the court to step in and stop the sale of devices that allegedly infringe on the patent. It wants payment for injury and damages, as well as the court fees it will have to shell out.
ACCO is also going after HP for a further few patent infringements. One is known as 2121125 patent, while the others go by the name of 6131579, 6112 561 and 6662602. All refer to the same type of security device.
A laptop lock assembly is provided. The assembly includes a lock body configured to be coupled to a laptop, the lock body having a locking portion; a cable plug slidably coupled to the lock body, the cable plug including an arm; and a lock positioned at the lock body and configured to place the laptop lock assembly into a locked state in which the arm of cable plug and the locking portion of the lock body cooperate with one another to form an enclosed area between the arm of the cable plug and the locking portion of the lock body for constraining an object attached to or part of the laptop within the enclosed area, the lock being further configured to place the laptop lock assembly into an unlocked state in which the arm of the cable plug is slidably positioned away from the locking portion of the lock body, so that the object attached to or part of the laptop may be removed from the area.