11. Commitments and contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

11. Commitments and contingencies

On June 8, 2012, Avery Dennison Corporation (“AD”) filed a civil complaint against the Company and a former employee of the Company and of AD, in the Court of Common Pleas (the “Court”) in Lake County, Ohio.  The complaint alleged that this former employee and the Company misappropriated unspecified trade secrets and confidential informationfrom AD related to the design of our food safety terminals.  The complaint requested a preliminary and permanent injunction against the Company from manufacturing and selling our Ithaca® 9700 and 9800 food safety terminals.  On July 16, 2012, the Company filed its answer, affirmative defenses and counterclaims, seeking all available damages including legal fees.  A hearing on the plaintiff's motion for preliminary injunction took place in August 2012, and in November 2012, the Court denied this request. AD filed an appeal of the Court’s ruling to the Eleventh Appellate District, which heard oral arguments on the appeal on July 16, 2013.  On July 23, 2013, AD requested that the Eleventh Appellate District enjoin the Company’s further sale and marketing of the food safety terminals, pending the appeals court's decision. On July 29, 2013, the Company opposed this request. On October 15, 2013, the Eleventh District Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s decision in the Company’s favor and denied AD’s further request of an injunction pending the Court of Appeal’s decision.  On October 24, 2013, AD filed a motion seeking that the Court of Appeals reconsider its decision.  On April 16, 2014, the Court of Appeals denied AD’s motion to reconsider its decision.  On July 28, 2014, AD filed a motion requesting leave from the Court to file an amended complaint and indicating that it has elected to pursue only its claim for damages, dropping its claim for injunctive relief.  On September 4, 2014, the Court granted AD’s motion to file an amended complaint.  On September 25, 2014, the Company filed its answer, affirmative defenses and counterclaims with respect to the amended complaint, seeking all available damages including legal fees.  On January 30, 2015, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment seeking judgment in favor of the Company on all counts as to the Company.  On the same day, AD filed two motions for partial summary judgment.  On February 17, 2015, the Company opposed both of AD’s motions, and AD opposed the Company’s motion.  On February 23, 2015, the Company filed a reply brief in support of its motion for summary judgment.  A trial was scheduled to begin on April 21, 2015, however, on March 25, 2015 the parties executed a confidential settlement agreement and release (the “Settlement Agreement”) in which the parties mutually agreed to resolve the dispute that was the subject of the lawsuit filed by AD against the Company to the parties’ mutual satisfaction.  Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, the Company agreed to pay AD $3,600,000 payable on or before April 8, 2015 and also to qualify certain AD labels for use on the Company’s food safety terminals at an estimated cost of $25,000.  The Company recorded the total charge of $3,625,000 in the fourth quarter 201 as an operating expense included in the line item “Legal fees and settlement expenses associated with lawsuit” on the Consolidated Statement of Operations and as a current liability included in the line item “Accrued lawsuit settlement expenses” on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

At December 31, 2014, we were the lessee on operating leases for equipment and real property.  Rent expense was approximately $918,000, $918,000 and $1,005,000 in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.  Minimum aggregate rental payments required under operating leases that have initial or remaining non-cancelable lease terms in excess of one year as of December 31, 2014 are as follows: $850,000 in 2015; $584,000 in 2016; $86,000 in 2017; $4,000 in 2018 and $1,000 in 2019.