Satco Products, Inc. (“Satco”) is pleased to announce that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the final determination of the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) that none of Satco’s filament LED’s infringe patents owned by University of California at Santa Barbara (“UCSB or The Regents”).
The International Trade Commission found that the UCSB arguments regarding certain claim construction on LED filament technology were not supported by substantial evidence and ruled against their appeal in affirming the decision made by the ITC in this case.
Satco’s lighting products were first accused of infringing the UCSB’s “filament LED lighting patents” almost four years ago when Satco’s customers received letters from The Regents’ attorneys in the summer of 2019 as part of what they called a “groundbreaking patent enforcement campaign.” Satco investigated The Regents’ claims and, after concluding they were without merit, took immediate steps to defend itself and its customers. In addition to winning this important ruling in the ITC investigation, Satco also succeeded in invalidating four of the Regents’ asserted patents in separate inter parte review (“IPR’s) proceedings before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”). A companion decision of the Federal Circuit affirmed the PTAB’s decision finding the UCSB patents invalid. Additional IRP’s filed by Satco are pending and Satco is confident of their merits.
Satco is represented by its long-time counsel, Robert P. Lynn, Jr. of Lynn Gartner Dunne & Frigenti, LLP, and Scott J. Bornstein, Nicholas A. Brown, and Brian J. Prew of Greenberg Traurig, LLP
“Satco took a strong position to defend our products in this matter and we are extremely pleased with the outcome. Our industry has experienced an unprecedented number of intellectual property claims and we investigate thoroughly each claim before taking actions as part of our evaluation of their merits. In this matter it was clear that Satco did not infringe, and the Circuit Court recognized this fact in its decisions and agreed as to the invalidity decisions of the PTAB” – William Gildin, President.