Griffin responds to DLO lawsuit, denies infringement of patent

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Griffin responds to DLO lawsuit, denies infringement of patent

Griffin Technology has responded to the Netalog/Digital Lifestyle Outfitters patent infringement lawsuit, claiming that its RoadTrip iPod accessory in no way infringes upon the patent relating to the DLO TransPod. Griffin also said that it has countersued DLO and filed motions to dismiss the case.

“We do not believe that the DLO patent is valid, nor that any of our products infringes the patent,” Griffin’s Jason Litchford told iLounge. “In 2004 we sued Netalog for a declaration to that effect; that their patent is invalid and not infringed upon. We have filed motions asking that the case be dismissed on those grounds and the Court is currently considering those motions.”

In addition, Litchford noted that Griffin is also in a separate legal dispute with DLO over the recruitment of Andrew Green, former vice president of marketing at Griffin. Green is now DLO’s creative director and marketing VP. “DLO filed the [patent] lawsuit against us during a period when DLO was secretly recruiting one of our senior managers, which is currently under separate litigation,” Litchford said.

iLounge has contacted Belkin, the other iPod accessory maker being sued by Netalog, and is expecting a statement shortly.

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Comments

1

Griffin does seem to be a larger company than DLO. DLO may wish they would have never messed with Griffin in 5 years…

Posted by Tyler Puckett on December 15, 2005 at 12:11 PM (PDT)

2

Get ‘em!

Posted by Gordy. in Atlanta, GA on December 15, 2005 at 12:12 PM (PDT)

3

I know some of the people in the middle of this and things don’t seem to be presented in the right light.

The fact is that Andrew Green worked at Griffin for a while and chose to leave when he found that there was no real room for advancement in the company. As any good business person would do, he made sure he had another job before he made the jump.

Now Griffin is suing Andrew Green, not DLO for recruiting him.

This isn’t a slam on anyone at all. I just think it is important that some of these details be clarified for the sake of the people involved and for the sake of anyone who has ever been involved in frivolous lawsuits like the one against Andrew and his family.

How could anyone ever sue a former employee for wanting to make a decent salary?

Posted by Chris on December 16, 2005 at 12:24 PM (PDT)

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