法院判決Lowe’s侵犯晶元光電燈絲專利

2020/03/10 –晶元光電（晶電）于對Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC（Lowe’s）提出的LED燈絲燈泡專利侵權訴訟案件中獲得重大勝利！美國加州中區地方法院在美國時間2020年02月11日作出判決（Summary Judgment），認定Lowe’s 多款LED燈絲燈泡侵犯晶電美國專利第7,560,738號（’738專利）。本案是目前LED燈絲燈泡領域中少數經美國法院認定侵權的案件，進一步肯定晶電燈絲專利的價值與重要性。

晶電于美國時間2017年04月28日在美國加州中區地方法院對Lowe’s提出專利侵權訴訟。晶電在訴狀中指出Lowe’s販賣之LED燈絲燈泡侵犯數件晶電專利，并申請法院核發禁制令以禁止Lowe’s繼續銷售侵權產品。除’738專利之外，晶電在訴狀中指出Lowe’s販賣的LED燈絲燈泡也同時侵犯晶電之美國專利第6,346,771號（’771專利），發明名稱「高功率LED燈」、專利第8,492,780號（’780專利），發明名稱「發光裝置及其制造方法」、專利第8,587,020號（’020專利），發明名稱「LED燈」、專利第8,791,467號（’467專利），發明名稱「發光二極管及其制造方法」。

法院除判定Lowe’s LED燈絲燈泡侵犯’738專利外，也駁回Lowe’s對’771專利和’780專利之無效請求。Lowe’s亦未針對’020專利提出任何無效請求。另一方面，法院雖然準予Lowe’s對’467專利以及’738專利的部分請求，但并無礙法院認定Lowe’s侵犯晶電專利的事實。

晶電每年投資龐大的經費于LED技術的研究開發，已獲證及申請中的專利合計超過4,000件。這些投資奠定了LED燈絲（燈）及/或LED燈的技術基礎并嘉惠世界上各種相關產品。晶電持續投資研發，才能為不斷成長的全球LED用戶提供最先進的產品及解決方案。 

Lowe’s Found to Infringe EPISTAR Patent on LED Filament Bulbs

2020/03/10 –After being fully considered by the court, EPISTAR received a remarkable ruling on LED filament bulbs in the patent litigation against Lowe’s. On February 11, 2020, the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted summary judgment of infringement against Lowe’s Home Center, LLC (“Lowe’s”).  The summary judgment order found that the accused Lowe’s LED bulbs infringed claims 1-3 and 8 of United States Patent No. 7,560,738 (“’738 Patent”), which is entitled “Light-Emitting Diode Array Having An Adhesive Layer.”  The Court further denied Lowe’s invalidity motion with respect to claims 1-3 and 8 of the ’738 Patent. The Court’s finding of infringement confirms the value and importance of EPISTAR patent portfolio.  EPISTAR believes that the infringement decision is one of the first decided by a U.S. court in the important field of LED filament bulb technology.

EPISTAR Corporation, a leading innovator and manufacturer of LED solid-state lighting technologies, had filed its patent infringement lawsuit against Lowe’s on April 28, 2017.  EPISTAR asserts that certain LED filament bulbs sold by Lowe’s infringe multiple EPISTAR patents and seeks injunctive relief to halt further sale of the infringing products.   Specifically, the complaint asserts that, in addition to the ’738 Patent, the accused Lowe’s LED lightbulbs infringe EPISTAR’s U.S. Patent Numbers 6,346,771 (“’771 Patent”), titled “High Power LED Lamp,” 8,492,780 (“’780 Patent”), titled “Light-Emitting Device And Manufacturing Method Thereof,” 8,587,020 (“’020 Patent”), titled “LED Lamp,” and 8,791,467 (“’467 Patent”), titled “Light Emitting Diode And Method Of Making The Same.”

EPISTAR patents protect the company's research and development efforts, and cover fundamental technologies for LED lightbulbs. The company’s complaint against Lowe’s aims to protect EPISTAR’s efforts in research and development and to preserve its patent rights.

In addition to finding that the Lowe’s LED lightbulbs infringe claims of the ’738 Patent, the District Court denied Lowes’ motions to invalidate the ’771 and ’780 Patents.  Lowes did not file any invalidity motion against the ’020 Patent.   The Court, however, did grant Lowes’ invalidity motion with respect to the ’467 Patent and claims 13-17 and 24 of the ’738 Patent.

As a result of the summary judgment decisions, EPISTAR expects that the trial on its patent infringement and damages claims against Lowe’s will occur in the Central District of California in 2020.