Power Integrations Awarded Double Damages in Patent-Infringement Case Against Fairchild
According to Power Integrations, a federal district court has doubled the financial damages awarded to the company in its patent-infringement case against Fairchild Semiconductor. This action follows an earlier ruling in which the Court found that Fairchild’s infringement of Power Integrations’ patents was willful. Following the increase, the total damage award now stands at approximately $12 million.
Fairchild was found to infringe four Power Integrations patents following a 2006 jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. In 2008, following rejections of Fairchild’s challenges to the validity and enforceability of the patents, the Court awarded Power Integrations approximately $6 million in damages and issued a permanent injunction against more than 100 infringing Fairchild products. The Court issued its willfulness finding in July 2010, paving the way for enhancement of the damages. The results of the case remain subject to appeal.
Commented Balu Balakrishnan, President and CEO of Power Integrations: "We are gratified that the Court has held Fairchild accountable for knowingly violating our patents and attempting to profit from the innovations that have made us the leaders in our market."
Two separate lawsuits filed by Power Integrations against Fairchild in May 2008 and November 2009 remain pending. The suits allege infringement of five Power Integrations patents, including two of the same patents previously found to be infringed in Delaware and one patent previously found to be infringed in Power Integrations’ ITC case against System General, now a Fairchild subsidiary. The company is seeking additional damages as well as injunctions against the infringing products not subject to the existing injunction.
As of press time, Fairchild has yet to comment on or respond to these developments.
