SonoSite Inc., a maker of hand-carried ultrasound devices, said Monday a patent lawsuit initiated by General Electric Co. has been resolved with the industrial conglomerate paying $21 million for royalties in exchange for a license.

GE, based in Fairfield, Conn., sued SonoSite in 2008, seeking to invalidate its U.S. patent for the hand-held ultrasonic instruments. SonoSite said at the time there was no legal basis for the lawsuit.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, GE will pay the Bothell, Wash.-based SonoSite $21 million and an ongoing royalty on U.S. sales and production of hand-carried ultrasound systems weighing less than 10 pounds in exchange for a perpetual nontransferable worldwide license, SonoSite said.

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