In January 2010, Johnson Outdoors Inc. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Navico, Inc., claiming the company infringed on a recently-granted patent related to the use of sonar technology in finding fish. The patent-at-issue, USP 7,652,952, “Sonar imagines system for mounting to watercraft,” was issued on January 26, 2010.

The complaint alleges Navico induced patent infringement by resellers by informing purchasers that it would use the patented side scan technology to compete with Johnson Outdoors’ product. Johnson Outdoors seeks an injunction and a ruling of willful infringement.

Source(s):  “Johnson Outdoors files suit in federal court against maker of Lowrance,” CNNMoney, January 27, 2010 (http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/globenewswire/182833.htm).