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I've taken this from the ARC Automation News headline website... Given the recent discussion on the sale of intellectual property, patents, and enforceability, this should be an interesting one to watch. Schneider Electric's Automation Business unit claims that Opto 22's Ethernet Brain products and associated industrial automation systems infringe on Schneider's 1998 US patent 5,805,442 purchased in 2000 from the original inventor Ken Crater of Control Technology Corporation. Schneider claims that the lawsuit is part of its policy of vigorously protecting and pursuing patent rights. Opto 22 claims that this lawsuit has caught them completely by surprise and is totally without merit. Opto 22 questions the validity of the patent, and Schneider's motives when the whole automation industry is Web-enabling their products. More complete story and ARC commentary (may require filling out a form): http://www.arcweb.com/arcweb/IndNews/indnews.asp?News=3DA#32200194123