ICOS announces settlement Rrlating to Scanner Technologies patent infringement claims

ICOS Vision Systems Corporation NV (Nasdaq, Nasdaq Europe and Euronext : IVIS) announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Scanner Technologies Corporation relating to the law suit brought by Scanner Technologies against ICOS in July 2000, in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, alleging infringement by ICOS of two U.S. Patents. Under the settlement agreement, the parties have agreed to dismiss all claims relating to ICOS' 3-D BGA inspection systems that contained a single light source. ICOS made a lump sum payment of approximately EUR 340,000 in connection with the settlement and has no ongoing payment obligations thereunder. The payment is within the amounts previously reserved for legal expense in this matter. The remaining products sold by ICOS containing two light sources were found by the District Court not to infringe the patents. Scanner may appeal that decision. Anton DeProft, president and chief executive officer of ICOS Vision Systems, commented, "We are very pleased with this settlement and we have now substantially narrowed the case to systems that the court has found non-infringing. We can now devote our total energies to our customers and products. If Scanner elects to appeal the finding of non-infringement, we will continue to vigorously defend our rights."Source: PCBnewsline