iRobot starts a patent war over robot vacuums

The company "will not stand by" as rivals "infringe on our intellectual property" by making similar competing machines, according to a statement. We've reached out to the companies targeted by the lawsuits and will let you know how they're responding, although it's safe to say they aren't likely to roll over. At first blush, the infringement claims appear to be part of a classic competitive strategy: if you're an early participant in an industry that's rapidly heating up, sue the competition to slow them down. While iRobot still has the best-known models, there's a very real chance that it gets overshadowed by latecomers -- especially anyone that can offer more for your money.