Power Integrations responded yesterday to the patent-infringement lawsuit filed against it this week by Fairchild Semiconductor. In a written statement, Power Integrations stated that it believes that it was first to invent the technology covered by the patent that is the subject of Fairchild's lawsuit, and that the lawsuit is therefore without merit.
"We initiated litigation against Fairchild in 2004 because we believe they are infringing on several of our patents, and we remain confident that we will prevail in that case," said Balu Balakrishnan, president and CEO of Power Integrations. "In fact, the filing of this suit by Fairchild—eighteen months later and in a different venue—may indicate a lack of confidence in their defenses, especially in light of the recent claim-construction ruling by the judge in the Delaware case."
The company also notes that it does not expect Fairchild's suit to have any impact on its own patent-infringement lawsuit against Fairchild, initiated in October 2004 and currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. That case is expected to go to trial during the third quarter of 2006.
