FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LIVINGSTON FILES COUNTER CLAIM WITH US ROBOTICS
CONCERNING VIOLATION OF TECHNOLOGY LICENSING AGREEMENT
PLEASANTON, Calif., November 15, 1996--Livingston Enterprises, Inc.,
manufacturer of the PortMaster line of remote access servers and routers,
announced that it has filed a counter claim to a suit filed against the
Company by US Robotics ("USR"). Livingston's counter claim against USR seeks
recovery of financial damages and an injunction prohibiting USR's improper
use of Livingston's trade secrets previously licensed to USR. The trade
secrets licensed to USR consisted of Livingston's PortMaster ComOS remote
access operating system, utilized by USR in its NETServer product and
incorporated into its Total Control Enterprise Network Hub. USR has failed
to return Livingston's ComOS source code as required by the terms of the
licensing agreement.
On September 15, 1994, the two companies had originally entered into a
technology licensing agreement which provided for the payment of license
royalties to Livingston until such time as USR had discontinued the use of
ComOS. As further defined in the contract, USR was to return Livingston's
source code the first week of October.
On October 18, 1996, USR filed suit against Livingston alleging, amongst
other things, breach of contract and unfair trade practices. Livingston's
management believes this suit to be completely without merit and intends to
vigorously contest it and has filed a counter suit.
Livingston Enterprises, Inc., a privately held corporation located in
Pleasanton California, markets its PortMaster remote access servers, and its
FireWall IRX and Office Router products to over 1,700 Internet Service
Providers world-wide. The company's RADIUS software has become an industry
standard for providing Internet access security, accounting and billing
information, and network management. For additional information, contact
Livingston Enterprises, Inc. at (510) 426.0770 or browse the company's World
Wide Web home page at http://www.livingston.com.
PortMaster, ComOS, FireWall IRX, Office Router, and RADIUS are trademarks of
Livingston Enterprises. Total Control is a trademark of US Robotics.