This may be news that the third party cartridge vendors may not like to hear. HP has successfully sued a German based InkTec GmbH Zentrale and PCE Group for patent infringement. These third party vendors were refilling HP cartridges with inks manufactured by them.

In October 2006, HP filed suit against InkTec GmbH Zentrale and the PCE Group in the District Court of Düsseldorf, Germany, after HP discovered that certain ink refill kits sold under the InkTec brand and distributed by InkTec and PCE Group contained infringing ink. HP asserted two patents relating to ink formulations and specifically accused InkTec refill kits used for refilling certain HP inkjet printer cartridges.

Both defaulting companies have pleaded guilty in the HP infringement suit and have agreed to pay HP an undisclosed sum to compensate for the losses. They have also made it clear that they wouldn’t be selling the infringing inks in the countries where patent holds good.

via Press Release