AST Awarded Injunction in Copyright Case

AST Research Inc. of Irvine has won a preliminary injunction against two electronics companies it has charged with violating the trademark and copyright of one of its most popular pieces of computer equipment.

U.S. District Judge Harold Hupp ordered Basic Time Inc. of Santa Clara and Qubie Distributing of Camarillo to stop using AST’s trademarks and trade names in connection with the sale of a product similar to AST’s “SixPakPlus.”

Like the “SixPakPlus,” Basic Time’s product, called the “BT6Plus,” increases the power and expands the uses of personal computers made by International Business Machines Corp., Apple Computer Inc. and other manufacturers.

John Atchison, a co-owner of Basic Time, said Friday that his company already has stopped using the trademarked and copyrighted materials and claimed the suit stems from a dispute between the two companies over Basic Time’s right to manufacture boards similar to AST’s popular product.

AST officials said the preliminary injunction will remain in effect until a hearing is held on AST’s suit. No hearing date has been scheduled, the company said.