Commscope Technologies LLC v SOLiD Technologies, Inc [2022] EWHC 769 (Pat) (01 April 2022)

Commscope Technologies LLC v SOLiD Technologies, Inc [2022] EWHC 769 (Pat) (01 April 2022)

The court found that the concept of digital DAS was common general knowledge at the priority date, that tree and multiple star network architectures were CGK, and that the LGCell DAS product was CGK. The evidence of SOLiD's expert, Professor Seeds, was preferred over CommScope's expert. The court concluded that claims 1 and 7 of EP850 were anticipated or obvious over the Oh prior art, rendering them invalid. The application to amend EP626 was to be addressed separately.

Citation
[2022] EWHC 769 (Pat)
Parties
Claimant: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; Defendant: SOLiD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
01 April 2022
Procedural Posture
Patent Infringement and Validity Trial / Judgment After Trial
Outcome
Claims 1 and 7 of EP850 held invalid for anticipation and/or obviousness over Oh. Application to amend EP626 to be addressed separately.
Legal Topics
Patent Validity, Patent Infringement, Obviousness, Anticipation, Distributed Antenna Systems (das), Common General Knowledge (cgk)
Intellectual Property Patents Patent Validity Patent Infringement Obviousness Anticipation Distributed Antenna Systems (das) Common General Knowledge (cgk)

Case Brief

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Parties

COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC

Claimant

SOLiD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Patent Infringement and Validity Trial / Judgment After Trial

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether claim 1 of EP(UK) 2 290 850 (EP850) is anticipated by or obvious over the prior art (Oh)
  2. 2 Whether claim 7 of EP850 is obvious over Oh
  3. 3 Proper construction of terms in claims 1 and 7 of EP850

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the concept of digital DAS was common general knowledge at the priority date, that tree and multiple star network architectures were CGK, and that the LGCell DAS product was CGK. The evidence of SOLiD's expert, Professor Seeds, was preferred over CommScope's expert. The court concluded that claims 1 and 7 of EP850 were anticipated or obvious over the Oh prior art, rendering them invalid. The application to amend EP626 was to be addressed separately.

Court Disposition

Claims 1 and 7 of EP850 held invalid for anticipation and/or obviousness over Oh. Application to amend EP626 to be addressed separately.

Orders

  • Claims 1 and 7 of EP850 are revoked.
  • Costs and further directions to be determined.