Intellectual Property Court in Taiwan Dismisses LAM Research's Complaint
SHANGHAI, TAIPEI and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment, Inc. (AMEC) announced that it has prevailed in a patent infringement lawsuit filed against its subsidiary in Taiwan and other related entities by LAM Research in Taiwan. In a decision rendered yesterday, the Intellectual Property Court in Taiwan dismissed LAM Research's civil complaint on the grounds that the patent in question is invalid.
Specifically, LAM Research alleged at the beginning of the case in January 2009 that AMEC's Primo D-RIE(TM) dielectric etch system infringes its TW Patent 136706 "Perforated Plasma Confinement Ring in Plasma Reactors", and TW Patent 126873 "Focus Ring Arrangement for Substantially Eliminating Unconfined Plasma in Plasma Reactors."
AMEC responded by attacking LAM Research's patents on grounds of invalidity, in addition to mounting its non-infringement defense. LAM Research withdrew most of the patent claims in June except for claims relevant to TW Patent 136706, being its first independent claim and its dependent claims. By hearing substantive arguments on the patent's invalidity and before even going in depth into the patent infringement argument, the Judge dismissed the civil action, effective September 8th. Service of the Court's formal written reasoning which explains this decision is expected within several weeks.
The decision represents a substantial victory for AMEC and enables the company to proceed with its plan for positioning its advanced technology products in Taiwan.
AMEC's chief executive officer, Dr. Gerald Yin, praised the Court's decision and noted, "We are pleased with the ruling and its implications for protecting the market-access rights of emerging technology companies with strong intellectual property. Healthy competition is an imperative component of delivering superior products to customers and we appreciate competing with esteemed companies. However, if we believe that a competitor is attempting to hinder our market access by making unsupported infringement claims, we will vigorously defend our rights. We're pleased that the Court dismissed the action."
AMEC's senior vice president, Dr. Zhiyou Du, also commented on the ruling, noting, "As an innovator of advanced technology, AMEC takes the business of Intellectual Property (IP) extremely seriously. Creating unique IP and honoring the integrity of competitors' IP has been a cornerstone of our business strategy since the company's inception. Our singular focus is to deliver differentiated technology solutions to our global customers and we're pleased to be making substantial gains in that endeavor."
About Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc.
Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. (AMEC) is the parent company of leading Asia-based semiconductor equipment affiliates with proprietary wafer fabrication solutions designed to advance technology, increase productivity and reduce manufacturing costs for leading global semiconductor manufacturers. Headquartered in the hub of the semiconductor manufacturing industry, AMEC's systems combine unique technology solutions with economic innovations for the 65/45-nm nodes and beyond. The company maintains R&D, manufacturing, business and support operations in China, with sales and support organizations in Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. To learn more, please visit http://www.amec-inc.com .