IP Lawsuit Fever Spreads to HVAC Industry

Anyone who follows what is going on in the cellular phone business these days knows that Apple and others launch a lawsuit almost daily against their competitors claiming infringement of intellectual property rights.  These IP lawsuits are becoming so commonplace that many "techie" websites keep running charts to show who is suing who this week.  It is said that Microsoft is making more money off licensing rights related to a lawsuit against Google than it makes off selling it's own phones.

Well, it looks like the IP lawsuit fever has spread to the Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning industry.  The company IntusIQ has filed suit in Texas against Ingersoll-Rand, parent of Trane, and Schneider Electric, parent of APC, claiming patent infringements.  The infringements are related to the application of "mesh networks" for building control schemes.  Most of these things get settled out of court with some sort of licensing fee arrangement but with the current trend of suing over IP reaching a fever pitch in other industries this might mark the beginning of something that will impact the HVAC industry as well.