The United States Court of Appeals in the Federal Circuit ruled WAC Lighting did not infringe on a Philips Lighting patent, since the key issue was itself not patentable. The dispute between the two lighting companies has been going on since 2014, and a case with the International Trade Commission is still ongoing.
The Appeals Court ruled patent number 6,013,988 cannot be patented because it simply swapped the order of circuits in an LED light. The appeals board rejected the Philips claim that a variation of the light design is a Philips patent that was being used by WAC. Instead, the board ruled the small variation could not be patented. Both sides will pay their own legal costs.
The patent issue between Philips and WAC Lighting is still not over. Philips filed a claim with the International Trade Commission saying WAC is using its patent for LED lighting manufactured in China. It asked the commission to put a cease and desist order on imported WAC Lighting products for 60 days, which was rejected. WAC countered by describing the ITC filing as repetitive to the case just decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals in the Federal Circuit.
Philips filed similar patent cases with the International Trade Commission against six lighting companies. Some settled their cases for an undisclosed amount earlier this year. WAC Lighting, SATCO Products, Feit Electric, Lowe’s Companies, and LG Sourcing are still meeting to settle their cases before heading to court.
Tagged with patent infringement, Philips Lighting, WAC lighting