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Universal Avionics Wins Major Rulings in Patent Dispute Against Honeywell
 

Tucson, AZ – November 12, 2008 – Universal Avionics Systems Corporation, a Tucson-based avionics manufacturer, won two separate motions for summary judgment today in its ongoing patent dispute with Honeywell. The case involves accusations by Honeywell that Universal Avionics infringed 3 patents through the sale of its Terrain Awareness and Warning System ("TAWS"), an important safety device which relies on GPS data and terrain mapping to provide visual and aural alerts to pilots to prevent aircraft CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) accidents.

As a result of the rulings by Magistrate Judge Thynge in the District Court for the District of Delaware, Honeywell's claim for damages has been virtually eliminated. Honeywell was seeking potential damages of more than $90 million. Based on the Court's ruling, Honeywell's claim could be reduced to several hundred thousand dollars in the event that they are successful in proving that Universal's TAWS infringes the patent claims, something that Universal vigorously denies. In addition, the Court ruled that Universal Avionics did not willfully infringe the asserted patents, eliminating Honeywell's claim that the company acted in bad faith.

This ruling is the latest in a series of positive results for Universal in its longstanding dispute with Honeywell. Honeywell filed the lawsuit against Universal Avionics in May 2002, initially alleging that Universal's TAWS infringed 61 claims from five patents. In a summary judgment ruling on October 6, 2003, the Court ruled in favor of Universal and rendered asserted claims from two of the five patents invalid. That ruling was affirmed on appeal. In addition, the Court ruled that Universal did not infringe any of the claims from all five patents. The case is presently scheduled for a jury trial beginning on December 1, 2008. As a result of the ruling today, the trial will be solely limited to whether Universal infringed any claims from three remaining patents.

Quote from Universal Avionics -- "Universal Avionics values the patent rights of other companies. However, when we are unfairly accused of infringement we will fight hard to vindicate ourselves."

According to Scott Bornstein, Co-Chair of the Patent Litigation Group at Greenberg Traurig, LLP and lead counsel for Universal Avionics, "This is a terrific ruling for Universal Avionics but there is more work to be done. We intend to finish the job we started and demonstrate that TAWS does not infringe any claim from Honeywell's patents."

Scott Bornstein and Allan Kassenoff of Greenberg Traurig, LLP represent Universal Avionics.

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