IXYS Semiconductor GmbH (Lampertheim, Germany), the wholly-owned German subsidiary of IXYS Corp. (Santa Clara, CA), has filed a suit against International Rectifier (IR, El Segundo, CA), alleging infringement of patents covering design features of its integrated power module technology.
The lawsuit was filed in the county court of Mannheim, Germany, charging IR with infringing at least two of IXYS' German patents, DP 3468783 and DP 3127457. IXYS alleges that IR had been employing the IXYS features in various products sold in Germany. IXYS GmbH has asked the court to take action to remedy IXYS for damages and prohibit the continued infringements by IR. The company also reports that court documents state that IR must file a response by 29 December, 2000, and that a hearing is set for 23 March, 2001.
This news comes somewhat on the heels of another patent-related law suit brought earlier this year against IXYS by IR. In June 2000, IR sued IXYS for patent infringement on certain MOSFET devices sold in the US.
