RENO - International Game Technology (IGT) announced in a press release that it was granted summary judgment in a patent infringement lawsuit against Bally Gaming Inc. d/b/a Bally Technologies.

Bally's US Patent No. 7,100,916 was declared invalid. Bally had alleged that its Lucky Wheel products embodied the claimed invention and that IGT's "wheel" games, including its Wheel of Fortune slot machines, infringed the patent which was held invalid.

"IGT believes strongly in the United States patent system and respects the valid intellectual property rights of others. We are pleased that our position has been vindicated," said IGT's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer TJ Matthews.

The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada on September 5, 2006. Judge Edward C. Reed entered an Order granting IGT's motion for summary judgment on September 9, 2008. The plaintiff, Bally Gaming, is a subsidiary of Bally Technologies Inc.

IGT is a global company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and sales of computerized gaming machines and systems products.

Source: ag-IP-News