Harman and D&M Holdings Settle Patent Litigation

Harman International Industries, Inc. and D&M Holdings, Inc. announce they have entered into a settlement agreement resolving two lawsuits brought by Harman subsidiary Studer Professional Audio GmbH against D&M and its subsidiaries D&M Holdings U.S. Inc. and Calrec Audio Ltd.

Studer filed suit against D&M and Calrec in October 2011, alleging that D&M and Calrec infringe three patents owned by Studer: U.S. Patent No. 7,682,044, U.S. Patent No. 7,784,968, and European Patent (UK) 1,665,593. These patents are directed to Studer's FaderGlow technology, incorporated in Studer's Vista 9 Series digital mixing consoles and Soundcraft's Vi and Si Series digital live sound consoles. Studer alleged that the defendants infringe these patents through the manufacture and sale of Calrec's Apollo and Artemis audio mixing consoles. The lawsuits that were pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (No. 2:12-cv-02278 (WHW)(MCA)), and in the United Kingdom (HC11 C03597), have been, or are in the process of being, dismissed.

As part of the settlement, D&M has agreed to modify the accused Apollo and Artemis consoles. Other terms of the settlement remain confidential.

In February and November 2013, the United States Patent & Trademark Office issued Ex Parte Reexamination Certificates confirming the patentability of original and new claims of the '044 and '968 Patents.