Rothwell Figg client Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) won an important victory in the Eastern District of Texas against Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. and Everlight Americas, Inc. (“Everlight”). The District Court issued a decision holding that all asserted claims of the three Nichia patents-in-suit were infringed by Everlight LED products, and rejecting Everlight’s challenge to the validity of the asserted claims. Nichia filed the patent infringement lawsuit against Everlight in 2013.
The court’s decision includes a finding that Everlight infringed Nichia’s U.S. Patent No. 8,530,250 (“’250 Patent”). The ‘250 Patent covers a process for manufacturing LEDs that Nichia developed in 2008, as well as LED products manufactured according to that process. The Nichia products covered by the ‘250 Patent include Nichia’s 757 and 157 series of products, which are among the most popular LED products on the market today. The court also found that Everlight infringed Nichia’s U.S. Patents No. 7,432,589 and No. 7,462,870. The court denied Everlight’s contentions that any of Nichia’s patents-in-suit are invalid.
The LED products at issue in this dispute are used in LCD backlighting applications, which include cell phones, laptop computers and televisions, as well as for general lighting applications, such as LED light bulbs, automotive applications, and video display applications. “We are very pleased with the court’s decision and will continue to pursue the remedies that our client Nichia is entitled to for the harm caused by Everlight’s infringing actions,” said Rothwell Figg attorney Robert Parker, who served as co-lead trial counsel on the case. “We are extremely gratified by the Court’s finding that all of the accused Everlight products are infringing and rejecting Everlight’s attempt to invalidate our clients’ patents,” said Rothwell Figg attorney Martin Zoltick, who served as co-lead trial counsel on this case.
The Rothwell Figg team included members Robert Parker, Martin Zoltick, and Michael Jones. The decision was issued by District Judge J. Rodney Gilstrap of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Case No. 02:13-cv-702. Nichia filed its lawsuit against Everlight in 2013, and the court held a trial in Marshall, Texas in May 2015.
