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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Judge Adds $11 Million to Huge Jury Award

MARSHALL, Texas (CN) - A federal judge has added $11 million to an earlier jury award of $95 million in a technology-related patent infringement case, finding the offenders actually increased their sales of infringing products after the trial.

SynQor filed its complaint against 11 parties in federal court, claiming they infringed on five of its patents for unregulated and semi-regulated bus converters.

The company calls itself "a leader in the design, development, manufacture and sale of innovative DC/DC power converters and AC/DC power conversion solutions to the communications, computing, industrial, medical and military markets," in its amended complaint.

The company sought compensatory damages, treble damages and an injunction preventing further infringement.

Those sued by SynQor were Artesyn Technologies Inc.; Astec America Inc.; Bel Fuse Inc.; Cherokee International Corp.; Delta Electronics Inc.; Delta Products Corp.; Lineage Power Corp.; Murata Electronics North America Inc.; Murata Manufacturing Co.; Murata Power Solutions Inc.; and Power-One Inc.

A jury awarded SynQor $95 million in December 2010, and U.S. District Judge T. John Ward issued a partial judgment reflecting that verdict.

Judge Ward also granted SynQor a permanent injunction, but that injunction was partially stayed by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in April 2011.

SynQor's fight for compensation did not end with the jury's verdict. It filed a motion for supplemental damages to cover the infringing sales excluded from the information presented to the jury and those sales that took place after the trial.

Judge Ward agreed that SynQor was due supplemental damages and granted an enhanced award in a July 11 order, finding that the offenders not only continued selling the infringing products after the jury reached its verdict, but in some cases upped their sales. The award for supplemental damages came to $11 million.

The following day the judge issued two additional orders, one requiring Lineage Power to pay $4.4 million for previously undisclosed sales and $100,000 for civil contempt sanctions, and a second demanding that Delta Electronics pay $567,000 for previously undisclosed sales and $500,000 for civil contempt sanctions.

In yet another blow to the defendant companies, the judge shot down their claim for prosecution laches in a July 13 order.

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