ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Utility, the industry leader in Critical Connectivity and Mobile Video for First Responders, announced the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the April 2014 dismissal of a Digital Ally, Inc. (DGLY) lawsuit against Utility.
In October 2013, Digital Ally filed a declaratory judgment complaint against Utility in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas seeking a determination that Digital Ally did not infringe any claim of Utility’s U.S. patent 6,831,556 (‘556 patent). The declaratory judgment action was dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction April 9, 2014, and that dismissal was affirmed without opinion by the Federal Circuit February 10, 2015. Additionally, the Federal Circuit has taxed Utility’s costs related to the appeal against Digital Ally.
“We are very pleased with the court’s decision as we believe the lawsuit lacked merit,” said Robert McKeeman, Chairman and CEO of Utility. “We believe Digital Ally is actively infringing on the ’556 patent, and it is in the best interest of our company and our customers that we fully enforce our rights in the patent.”
Utility filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Digital Ally in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in June 2014. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for all unauthorized acts of infringement as well as an order permanently enjoining Digital Ally from continued acts of infringement of the ‘556 patent. That lawsuit has been stayed pending Patent Office proceedings between the parties.
In the Georgia lawsuit, Utility asserts that Digital Ally’s DVM-800, DVM-750, and DVM-500 Plus video recording systems infringe on its ‘556 patent. The ‘556 patent is directed to digital multimedia systems that may be utilized with emergency response vehicles. Generally speaking, the patented invention involves capturing at least two of video, audio and metadata information; integrating the captured information into a data stream; storing the data stream in the vehicle; and transferring the integrated data stream from the vehicle to a remote location.
About Utility
Utility is the industry leader in Critical Connectivity and Mobile Video for First Responders. Utility provides the AVaiL Web video management and situational awareness software as a service. Utility manufactures the CORE vehicle server and connectivity system, Rocket vehicle wireless routers and Ultimate Witness body-worn video cameras for First Responders, Transit Agencies and Utilities. All products are designed and manufactured in the USA. Utility is venture capital-backed by Braemar Energy Ventures. For more information about Utility and its product lines, visit www.utility.com or www.bodyworn.com.
