Overland Pursues Patent Infringement Lawsuits

Overland Storage, Inc. has filed patent infringement lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California against seven companies.

These lawsuits, all filed on June 28, 2012, name as defendants Quantum Corporation, in San Jose, CA; Spectra Logic Corporation, in Boulder, CO; PivotStor, Inc., in Irvine, CA; Qualstar Corporation, in Simi Valley, CA; Tandberg Data GmbH, in Germany; Tandberg Data Corp., in Westminster, CO; and Venture Corporation Limited in Singapore.

The two patents in the Overland Storage lawsuits represent improvements in media access and virtual storage in the tape storage marketplace and were recently found to be valid by Chief Administrative Law Judge E. Charles Bullock of the International Trade Commission (ITC).

According to recent IDC reports, the tape storage market between 2005 and 2015 will surpass $12 billion in total revenue, and the seven companies named in the patent infringement lawsuits filed collectively represent approximately 40% of that market. In addition to a royalty for its patented inventions, Overland seeks to prevent each of the defendants from using its patented technologies in the United States.

"Overland Storage is a proven technology innovator in the data management and protection marketplace. We are pleased that our patents have been validated by the ITC and believe these technologies have been instrumental in the demand for tape storage solutions," said Eric Kelly, president and CEO of Overland Storage. "We have a responsibility to our shareholders, customers and employees to vigorously protect our investments and the valuable patent portfolio we have established."

The new lawsuits claim infringement of one or both of the following United States patents owned by Overland Storage:

1. US Patent No. 6,328,766, referred to as partitioning, this technology enables administrators to segment the tape library into partitions so that data can be simultaneously, independently and securely accessed for data back up and archive
2. US Patent No. 6,353,581, is a method by which users can securely import or export individual data cartridges within the tape library without violating the security of the system or disturbing other operations

These newly filed lawsuits are in addition to Overland Storage's patent infringement lawsuit against BDT, which is pending in the ITC (337-TA-746) and in the Southern District of California (Case No. 10-cv-1700). Overland Storage previously announced that it plans to continue its lawsuit against BDT both in the ITC and in federal district court.

The lawsuits filed and announced today are:

1. Overland Storage, Inc. vs. Quantum Corp. and Venture Corp. Ltd., Case No. 3:12-cv-01599
2. Overland Storage, Inc. vs. Spectra Logic Corp., Case No. 3:12-cv-01597
3. Overland Storage, Inc. vs. PivotStor, Inc., Case No. 3:12-cv-01598
4. Overland Storage, Inc. vs. Qualstar Corp., Case No. 3:12-cv-01605
5. Overland Storage, Inc. vs. Tandberg Data GmbH and Tandberg Data Corp., Case No. 3:12-cv-01604

Overland Storage is represented in the lawsuits by DLA Piper LLP (US).