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Universal Avionics reaches settlement in patent litigation against Optima Technology Group

Sept. 26, 2008, Tucson, AZ – Universal Avionics Systems Corporation reached a settlement this week with Optima Technology Group, Inc. in its patent litigation before Judge Raner Collins in the District of Arizona.

Universal filed the lawsuit on November 9, 2007 against Optima, a patent holding company, after repeated threats from Optima's CEO, Robert Adams, to sue for alleged infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,566,073 and 5,904,724 based on Universal's sale of its Vision-1® synthetic vision product.

In the lawsuit, Universal sought a declaration that the patents were invalid and not infringed. Optima filed counter-claims seeking a finding of infringement, substantial damages and an ongoing royalty.

Under the terms of the agreement, Universal will pay nothing and receive a full release of liability from Optima and a covenant not to sue for patent infringement in connection with all current or future Universal products.

According to Joachim L. Naimer, the President and CEO of Universal Avionics, "As a leading innovator in the aviation industry, Universal takes great care not to infringe on any existing patents in any way, yet we are often approached by patent holding companies or inventors with unfounded threats of legal action relating to alleged infringement. In each case, Universal carefully considers the allegations and we do defend ourselves against any and all such attempts with the utmost vigor and will continue to do so."

"The settlement fully vindicates Universal's position that it did not infringe any valid claims from Optima's patents and thus did not require a license to market and sell its Vision-1® products," said Scott J. Bornstein, lead counsel for Universal and Co-Chair of the Patent Litigation Group at Greenberg Traurig, LLP.