Computer Motion Updates Status of Delaware Patent Litigation.Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 28, 2002 Computer Motion, Inc. (Nasdaq: RBOT RBOT Rotating Bomb Oxidation Test ), the world's leading developer of surgical robotic systems serving over 900 customers and 3000 surgeons in 32 countries announced that the jury has reached a verdict in the U.S. District Court in Delaware finding IBM's U.S. Patent Number 6,201,984 as valid, and awarding $4.4 million in damages to Intuitive. Prior to the jury's verdict, the court ruled that Computer Motion had not "willfully willfully adv. referring to doing something intentionally, purposefully and stubbornly. Examples: "He drove the car willfully into the crowd on the sidewalk." "She willfully left the dangerous substances on the property." (See: willful) " infringed. Immediately following the jury trial, the parties tried Computer Motion's "prosecution laches A defense to an equitable action, that bars recovery by the plaintiff because of the plaintiff's undue delay in seeking relief. Laches is a defense to a proceeding in which a plaintiff seeks equitable relief. " defense in front of the judge. The court is now considering the arguments made by both sides, a process that is expected to take several weeks. Until the court rules on prosecution laches, no judgment can be entered and it is premature for either company to claim victory in the case. Computer Motion's products include: the ZEUS(R) MicroWrist(TM) Robotic Surgical System for minimally invasive surgery minimally invasive surgery Laparoscopic surgery, see there. See Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. , the HERMES(TM) Control Center, a centralized system that enables the surgeon to voice control a network of "smart" medical devices, and the AESOP Aesop (ē`səp, ē`sŏp), legendary Greek fabulist. According to Herodotus, he was a slave who lived in Samos in the 6th cent. B.C. and eventually was freed by his master. (R) Robotic Endoscope endoscope, any instrument used to look inside the body. Usually consisting of a fiber-optic tube attached to a viewing device, endoscopes are used to explore and biopsy such areas as the colon and the bronchi of the lungs. Positioner, which was also the first surgical robot to be made commercially available in the U.S. The company's newest product, the SOCRATES Socrates (sŏk`rətēz), 469–399 B.C., Greek philosopher of Athens. Famous for his view of philosophy as a pursuit proper and necessary to all intelligent men, he is one of the great examples of a man who lived by his principles even (TM) Telecollaboration System, is the first device in the newly created FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. category of Robotic Telemedicine Devices, and is designed to facilitate surgeon collaboration using video and audio conferencing, shared control of the endoscopic camera, and video annotation on the surgical image in the operating room. The company's products are CE-Marked for commercial sale in the European Community. The company's Web site is www.ComputerMotion.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the company's business and products. Actual results may differ materially depending on a number of risk factors, including the risks of competition and competing technologies, duration or suspension of clinical studies, regulatory clearances and approvals, and physician, hospital and payor acceptance of the company's products. These factors and other risks inherent in the company's business are described from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K. The company undertakes no obligation to revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. |
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