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ACT 579244/2023

—·EP3926698: LIGHT EMITTING DIODE

Case details
Status
—
Action
Infringement
Category
Main Infringement Action
Parties
Claimants
Reps: Bolko Ehlgen (Linklaters LLP); Julia Schönbohm (Linklaters LLP)
Division
Dusseldorf LD
Judges
—
Technology
Semiconductors · LED/Optoelectronics · Semiconductor Devices
Language
—
First decided
Oct 10, 2024
Claims
At issueall
Infringedall
Notes: Düsseldorf LD found infringement of EP3926698 B1 by expert klein GmbH and expert e-Commerce GmbH; counterclaim for revocation dismissed; specific claim numbers not enumerated in operative order visible in excerpts.
Decisions
  • 2024-10-10
    InfringedInjunction grantedInfringement meritsInfringement Action

    The Local Division Düsseldorf found that expert klein GmbH and expert e-Commerce GmbH directly infringed EP 3 926 698 B1 (relating to lighting technology) owned by Seoul Viosys, dismissed the revocation counterclaim filed only by one defendant, and ordered the defendants to cease, render accounts, and pay damages, without requiring security for enforcement.

    Legal issues:Direct patent infringementRevocation counterclaim by individual defendantSecurity for enforcement (R.118.8 RoP)Joint defendants – independent proceedingsFinancial standing of claimant as factor for security
    Damages: Liability declared, amount deferred
Documents
  • 4670C905E3B2A33A87DBF3FDF6A06846_de.pdf2024-10-10DE
Coverage: Partial.Reasoning extracted with partial coverage — some sections may be incomplete.
Plain-English summary

Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd. sued expert klein GmbH and expert e-Commerce GmbH before the Düsseldorf Local Division for direct infringement of EP 3 926 698 B1, relating to light-emitting diode technology. The court found direct infringement, ordered injunction, account of profits, and damages. Only expert e-Commerce GmbH filed a revocation counterclaim, which was dismissed; expert klein GmbH's failure to join the counterclaim formally precluded it from raising validity arguments in its own proceedings. No security for enforcement was required.

Accepted arguments
What the court agreed with — by party.

  • Direct infringement of EP 3 926 698 B1 by both defendants in the field of LED/lighting technology

    ClaimantLegal basis: Art. 25(a) UPCA

    Note: Düsseldorf Local Division found both expert klein GmbH and expert e-Commerce GmbH directly infringed the patent; defendants were ordered to cease, render accounts, and pay damages.

  • No security for enforcement is required given the facts of the case

    ClaimantLegal basis: R. 118.8 RoP

    Note: Court carried out a case-by-case balancing of claimant's interest in effective enforcement versus risk of unenforceable compensation if judgment is later overturned, and found no security warranted.

Rejected arguments
What the court did not agree with — and why.

  • Revocation counterclaim filed only by expert e-Commerce GmbH (defendant 2)

    RespondentLegal basis: R. 25.1 RoP

    Reason: Dismissed; defendant 1 (expert klein GmbH) did not join the counterclaim, so validity arguments were formally excluded from its own proceedings; patent held valid in the counterclaim.

Key legal principles
Doctrines and rules cited in the reasoning.
Each defendant in a multi-defendant action conducts its own proceedings independently; one defendant's procedural acts do not benefit or prejudice anotherRevocation counterclaim must be filed by each defendant individually; a defendant that declines to file a counterclaim is formally precluded from raising invalidity in its own proceedingsSecurity for enforcement is a case-by-case balancing exercise under R. 118.8 RoP — relevant factors include claimant's financial position and risk that compensation could not be enforcedIsolated revocation counterclaim by single defendant

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