Honeywell Initiates Patent Infringement Suit Against Nest Labs Over Thermostat Technologies

Honeywell (NYSE: HON) filed a patent infringement lawsuit on February 6, 2012, against Nest Labs, Inc. in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The complaint alleges that Nest Labs has infringed on seven Honeywell patents concerning thermostat technology.

The patents at issue cover a range of innovations, including simplified methods for operating and programming thermostats using natural language, user interfaces designed to facilitate programming and promote energy savings, the internal design of thermostats, electric circuits that divert power from a home’s electrical system to power the thermostat, and controlling thermostats with remotely stored information.

Among the patents cited is U.S. Patent No. 6,975,958, titled "Profile Based Method for Deriving a Temperature Setpoint Using a 'Delta' Based On Cross-Indexing a Received Price-Point Level Signal."

Honeywell’s lawsuit seeks to enjoin Nest Labs and Best Buy Co., Inc.—which retails Nest thermostats—from using the patented technology and to recover damages for the alleged infringement. This suit follows recent patent litigation Honeywell initiated against Venstar Inc. and ICM Controls, also related to thermostat and combustion control patents.

Beth Wozniak, president of Honeywell Environmental and Combustion Controls, emphasized the company’s commitment to protecting its intellectual property. "Competition is good and we welcome it, but we will not stand by while competitors, large or small, offer products that infringe on our intellectual property," she said. Wozniak highlighted Honeywell’s legacy, noting its pioneering role from the iconic round thermostat to the first programmable and user-friendly touch screen thermostats.

Honeywell has invested heavily in research and development, launching hundreds of thermostat products and technologies over the past five years. The company maintains a substantial patent portfolio, including hundreds of patents specifically in the thermostat domain.

"We are focused on upholding the integrity of the hard work and development our company has put into its home comfort and residential control technologies," Wozniak added. "With more than 20,000 engineers worldwide, innovation is at the heart of what we do at Honeywell. We will continue to protect our intellectual and financial investments in innovation and pursue legal action against those who infringe our patented technologies."

Honeywell, headquartered in Morris Township, New Jersey, is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader. It serves customers globally with aerospace products and services, control technologies for buildings and homes, automotive products, turbochargers, and specialty materials. Honeywell’s shares trade on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges.

The company’s press release also contained standard forward-looking statements disclaimers, noting that actual results may differ due to risks and uncertainties detailed in Honeywell’s SEC filings.

Contact information for Honeywell representatives Bruce Eric Anderson and Sarah McHugh-Ring was provided for further inquiries.