Thunder Power EV Patents Affirmed as Invalid by Federal Circuit

  • U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has refused to rehear a decision invalidating three EV patents owned by Hong Kong-based Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Co., Ltd.
  • The patents were previously asserted against Byton North America Corp., a subsidiary of another Chinese-based EV company called Nanjing Byton.

The U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit last month refused to rehear an appeal brought by the Hong Kong-based electric vehicle (EV) company Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Co., Ltd. In refusing the rehearing, the Federal Circuit continued to affirm the findings of a lower court that three EV patents owned by Thunder Power are directed to patent ineligible subject matter and are therefore invalid. The Thunder Power patents appear headed for cancellation – the same fate as four previously invalidated EV patents owned by ChargePoint (see our earlier coverage of the ChargePoint patents here). Continue reading “Thunder Power EV Patents Affirmed as Invalid by Federal Circuit”

GE and Vestas Settle Patent Dispute

  • GE and Vestas announced yesterday that they have reached a settlement in their long-running patent battle over “Zero Voltage Ride Through” or “ZVRT” technology.
  • The parties are taking actions to dismiss all aspects of the dispute, including a patent infringement lawsuit being heard in federal court and multiple patent validity challenges at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

GE and Vestas have announced “an amicable settlement of all disputes related to multiple patent infringement claims in the U.S.,” bringing to an end their long-running patent battle over “Zero Voltage Ride Through” or “ZVRT” technology. Although details remain confidential, the parties announced that the settlement agreement includes:

  1. A full release of liability for any past infringement of the patents-in-suit;
  2. A cross-license of the patents-in-suit and their family members; and
  3. A confidential payment from Vestas to GE.

Continue reading “GE and Vestas Settle Patent Dispute”

Federal Court Litigation Between GE and Vestas Likely to Remain Stayed; Parties Continue to Battle at Patent Board

  • The patent infringement lawsuit being heard in federal court in Delaware between General Electric and Vestas Wind Systems A/S appears likely to remain on hold through late 2019 or early 2020.
  • GE and Vestas remain locked in a long-running patent battle over “Zero Voltage Ride Through” or “ZVRT” technology. Each party has brought challenges against the validity of the other party’s patents to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, which is expected to hear those challenges over roughly the next 12 months.

The patent infringement case between rival wind turbine manufacturers GE and Vestas appears likely to remain on hold at least through late 2019 as the parties continue to battle over the validity of the asserted patents in separate cases before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. GE and Vestas jointly filed a pair of status reports last month with the federal court in Delaware that is hearing the case, updating the court on the progress of those separate cases at the Patent Board. The court had earlier stayed the federal court litigation while awaiting decisions from the Patent Board on the validity of the GE and Vestas patents involved in the case. Continue reading “Federal Court Litigation Between GE and Vestas Likely to Remain Stayed; Parties Continue to Battle at Patent Board”

Federal Circuit: Four ChargePoint Patents Assserted Against SemaConnect Are Invalid

  • The Federal Circuit upheld an earlier decision by a federal court in Maryland that found four ChargePoint patents to be invalid for claiming inventions that are not eligible for patent protection.
  • The Federal Circuit decision is a victory for electric vehicle charging station manufacturer SemaConnect, who was sued for allegedly infringing the four ChargePoint patents in December 2017.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled last Thursday that four patents owned by ChargePoint, Inc., are invalid. The patents are directed to a networked electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) and were previously held invalid by a federal court in Maryland for claiming inventions that are ineligible for patent protection. ChargePoint had appealed that holding to the Federal Circuit. Continue reading “Federal Circuit: Four ChargePoint Patents Assserted Against SemaConnect Are Invalid”

Pair of LA-Based Solar Installers Head to Court for Patent Fight

  • Solar installation rivals PermaCity and Orion Solar Racking are headed to federal court in California for a dispute over PermaCity’s patented roof mounting technology and an alleged breach of a non-disclosure agreement.

PermaCity Corporation, a solar installation company based on Los Angeles, has sued rival Orion Solar Racking Inc. in federal court in California for alleged patent infringement and breach of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). PermaCity manufactures and sells a roof-mounting product called SolarStrap, which is marketed as a faster and less expensive way to install solar panels. Continue reading “Pair of LA-Based Solar Installers Head to Court for Patent Fight”

Continuing Coverage of GE v. Vestas: Wind Turbine Patent Litigation

From July 2017 to June 2019, the two leading wind turbine providers in the United States – General Electric and Vestas, reportedly controlling more than 80% of the U.S. wind turbine market – engaged in a patent fight over who controls key technology for connecting turbines to the grid. The fight spanned four asserted patents (two owned by GE and two by Vestas) and a pair of venues (federal court in California and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Continue reading “Continuing Coverage of GE v. Vestas: Wind Turbine Patent Litigation”

Federal Circuit to Decide Validity of ChargePoint Patents

  • Oral arguments were heard last Thursday at the Federal Circuit for a patent dispute between electric vehicle charging station rivals ChargePoint, Inc. and SemaConnect, Inc.
  • The Federal Circuit is reviewing an earlier decision by a federal court in Maryland that found four ChargePoint patents to be invalid for claiming inventions that are not eligible for patent protection.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is poised to decide the validity of four key ChargePoint, Inc., patents after hearing oral arguments last Thursday. The patents at issue are directed to a networked electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) and were previously held invalid by a federal court in Maryland for claiming inventions that are ineligible for patent protection. ChargePoint appealed that holding to the Federal Circuit. Continue reading “Federal Circuit to Decide Validity of ChargePoint Patents”

Vestas Challenge to Invalidate GE Wind Tech Patent is Denied

  • The Patent Trial and Appeal Board denied a challenge brought by Vestas Wind Systems A/S against a General Electric patent directed to technology for connecting wind turbines to the electric grid.
  • GE and Vestas remain locked in a long-running patent battle over “Zero Voltage Ride Through” or “ZVRT” technology. Each party has brought challenges against the validity of the other party’s patents to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, which is expected to hear those challenges over roughly the next 12 months.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board denied a challenge brought by Vestas Wind Systems A/S in the year-long patent feud with General Electric.  The Board, an adjudicatory body within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, determined that the challenge brought by Vestas against GE’s U.S. Patent No. 6,921,985 was nearly identical to an earlier challenge heard by the Patent Office.  Since re-hearing similar challenges is considered an inefficient use of the limited resources of the Patent Office, the Board decided to deny the Vestas challenge. Continue reading “Vestas Challenge to Invalidate GE Wind Tech Patent is Denied”

Vestas Files New Challenge Against GE Wind Turbine Patent

  • After filing a first challenge against GE’s U.S. Patent No. 6,921, 985 in May, Vestas has filed a second challenge in August to expand its attack on that patent. GE had previously asserted the ’985 Patent against Vestas in a federal patent infringement lawsuit.

Last month Vestas Wind added yet another proceeding to its year-long patent battle against General Electric Company, filing a new challenge against GE’s U.S. Patent No. 6,921,985 at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Vestas had already filed one challenge against the ’985 Patent in May, and appears to have filed a second challenge to attack additional claims of the ’985 Patent. Continue reading “Vestas Files New Challenge Against GE Wind Turbine Patent”

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The opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and are not to be construed as legal advice.

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