News Article
For a fist full of Dollars
Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) prevails in contract dispute with Linear Technology Corp. MPS’ Discontinued MP1543 Product is found to have infringed Linear’s Patents, stipulated damages are ten Dollars
MPS, a fabless manufacturer of high performance analogue and mixed signal semiconductors, announced that the United States District Court for the District of Delaware issued judgment as a matter of law that MPS did not breach its October 1, 2005 Settlement and License Agreement with Linear Technology Corporation (Linear). MPS plans to seek recovery of substantial attorney fees and costs from Linear, pursuant to a prevailing party attorney’s fees provision in the settlement and license agreement.
The court also found as a matter of law that MPS had not wilfully infringed the patent claims of U.S. Patent Numbers 5,481,178 and 6,580,258 asserted by Linear against the accused MP1543 product. MPS had discontinued the sales of that product more than 18 months earlier. The court further found as a matter of law that MPS had not indirectly infringed Linear’s asserted patent claims and that Linear had failed to introduce any evidence of infringement by any MPS customer. However, the jury returned a verdict that an evaluation board containing the previously discontinued MP1543 product had directly infringed the asserted patent claims and that Linear’s patents mentioned above are valid. The parties had stipulated to a total of ten dollars in nominal patent infringement damages in the event that Linear prevailed in that dispute.
The court also found as a matter of law that MPS had not wilfully infringed the patent claims of U.S. Patent Numbers 5,481,178 and 6,580,258 asserted by Linear against the accused MP1543 product. MPS had discontinued the sales of that product more than 18 months earlier. The court further found as a matter of law that MPS had not indirectly infringed Linear’s asserted patent claims and that Linear had failed to introduce any evidence of infringement by any MPS customer. However, the jury returned a verdict that an evaluation board containing the previously discontinued MP1543 product had directly infringed the asserted patent claims and that Linear’s patents mentioned above are valid. The parties had stipulated to a total of ten dollars in nominal patent infringement damages in the event that Linear prevailed in that dispute.