Wonderware Settles Copyright Lawsuits

Wonderware Corp. in Irvine announced Wednesday that it has reached an out-of-court settlement ending more than two years of legal disputes over copyright issues with a pair of rival software developers.

Terms of the settlements between Wonderware, Cyberlogic Technologies Inc. and Intellution Inc. were not disclosed. None of the companies admitted any wrongdoing or liability. Wonderware and Cyberlogic, which make factory automation software, also retracted all public statements previously made regarding the suits.

In October 1996, Wonderware filed suit accusing Cyberlogic, based in Troy, Mich., of infringing on a software program that Cyberlogic originally developed under a contract for Wonderware. The suit also named Intellution, a unit of Emerson Electric Co. in Norwood, Mass.

In February 1997, Cyberlogic countersued Wonderware, accusing the Irvine company of copyright infringement of its Windows technology.

Wonderware is a unit of British-based engineering group Siebe PLC, which purchased the Irvine company last spring for $375 million.