Garmin To Modify SideVu Products After Loss Before ITC ALJ on Patent Claims

Garmin plans to modify its SideVu sonar products after an International Trade Commission administrative law judge determined some were too similar to a patent held by Johnson Outdoors, the GPS company said Tuesday. Johnson Controls filed an ITC complaint in 2014 alleging that some Garmin hardware, including its SideVu sonar imaging transducer, infringe on Johnson Outdoors patents relating to marine sonar imaging. The ALJ's initial determination was that first-generation SideVu products were too similar to some claims of one of the three Johnson Outdoors patents in question, Garmin said. The GPS company said that while it disagrees with the determination and will seek ITC review, it will make changes to SideVu products and should have them commercially available before any ITC final determination becomes effective.