WMS patent suit dismissed

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Wednesday, June 2, 2004 | 10:52 a.m.

U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt in Las Vegas has dismissed a patent lawsuit filed against slot maker Sigma Game Inc. of Las Vegas by competitor WMS Gaming Inc. of Chicago.

WMS filed suit on Jan. 13, claiming Sigma infringed on a patent for a bonus slot machine game issued to WMS on Nov. 11, 2003.

"We can all agree on the benefits of strongly safeguarding intellectual property," said Jim Jackson, president and chief executive of Sigma Game. "At the same time, we would hope that our industry would reach out for more cooperation rather than less and to collaborate more and litigate less."

WMS Gaming General Counsel and Secretary Kathleen McJohn declined to comment on the outcome.