International Rectifier Corp. (IR, El Segundo, CA) announced that the Federal District Court has tripled the damages in the patent-infringement lawsuit brought by IR against IXYS Corp. (Santa Clara, CA). The decision increases IR's total damages award from $9.0 million to $27.0 million. IXYS has appealed the Federal District Court’s ruling in the case.
In June, the Federal District Court applied an injunction banning IXYS from marketing certain MOSFETs in the US. The injunction was related to a legal case between IR and Samsung Semiconductor Inc. (Korea). IXYS was affected because Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Korea) is one of its major foundry suppliers. IR argued that its arrangement with Samsung in Korea applies to MOSFETs sold by IXYS in the US.
"We are disappointed at the district court's decision, especially since it is based upon an infringement decision on which the appellate court has ruled ‘that IXYS has shown a strong likelihood of success’ on appeal, in granting IXYS' motion to stay the District Court's permanent injunction," said IXYS CFO Arnold Agbayani. "We have already appealed this new ruling, and remain optimistic that IXYS will ultimately prevail."
