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Note 10 - Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
10
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Commitments and Contingencies
 
Rental commitments under non-cancelable operating leases, principally on our office space, are payable as follows (in thousands):
 
 
   
Operating Leases
 
Fiscal Year:
       
2017
    152  
Total minimum lease payments
  $ 152  
 
Rental expense for each of the years ended January 31, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $0.3 million.
 
Executive Severance Commitments
 
We have a severance compensation agreement with our Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Lanni. This agreement requires us to pay Mr. Lanni, in the event of a termination of employment following a change of control of the Company or other circumstances, the amount of his then current annual base salary and the amount of any bonus amount the executive would have achieved for the year in which the termination occurs plus the acceleration of unvested options. We have not recorded any liability in the consolidated financial statements for this agreement.
 
Executive and Board of Directors Compensation
 
On November 2, 2013, the Company approved a deferred compensation plan for its Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors. As of January 31, 2016 and 2015, no compensation expense has been accrued under this deferred compensation plan as its goal was not achieved.
 
Legal Contingencies
 
On February 13, 2015, we filed a lawsuit against Best Buy Co., Inc. for patent infringement under the patent laws of the United States. The complaint alleges that certain Best Buy power charging products sold in the United States under the Rocketfish brand infringe the Company’s patented intellectual property. This lawsuit is part of the Company’s ongoing and accelerated efforts to methodically pursue those companies that the Company believes have infringed on the intellectual property estate that the Company has developed over the last 20 years.
 
On February 3, 2015, we filed a lawsuit against Apple, Inc. for patent infringement. The complaint alleges that Apple products sold in the United States utilizing the Apple Lightning® power supply adapter system, including most iPad®, iPhone®, and iPod® products, infringe the Company’s patented intellectual property. This lawsuit represents Comarco’s most significant enforcement effort to date, and demonstrates the Company’s ongoing and accelerated efforts to methodically pursue those companies that the Company believes have infringed on the intellectual property estate that the Company has developed over the last 20 years.
 
In addition to the pending matters described above, we are, from time to time, involved in various legal proceedings incidental to the conduct of our business. We are unable to predict the ultimate outcome of these matters.