International Trade Commission to Investigate AnalogicTech for Infringement of Linear Technology Patents23 February 2006
Linear Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: LLTC), a leading manufacturer and supplier of patented high-performance analog integrated circuits, announced today that a complaint has been filed with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) asking the ITC to institute an investigation into whether Advanced Analogic Technologies (AnalogicTech) is violating Section 337 of the U.S. Tariff Act. Linear Technology bases its complaint upon its assertions that AnalogicTech's power management ICs infringe various claims of Linear's U.S. Patent Nos. 6,411,531 and 6,580,258.
"Our technology leadership in high performance analog circuits is the result of our commitment and continued investment in research and development, and it is Linear Technology's responsibility to protect its intellectual property," stated Lothar Maier, CEO of Linear Technology. "It is a serious matter for the ITC to launch such an investigation, but we owe it to our shareholders to protect our intellectual property and to prevent companies such as AnalogicTech from improperly using our patented technology. We are confident that the ITC will conclude that AnalogicTech has infringed Linear Technology's intellectual property."
Unlike U.S. Federal Court infringement determinations, which can take years, Section 337 investigations are normally completed within 15 months from submission of a complaint. If the ITC determines that AnalogicTech's power management ICs infringe Linear Technology's patents and the products are being imported into the United States, the ITC may order that such products be completely excluded from the U.S. market. The ITC can also impose civil penalties of up to $100,000 (U.S.) per day in the event that AnalogicTech does not comply with its orders.
The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, nonpartisan, quasi-judicial federal agency that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark and copyright infringement and other illegal acts of importation.
A copy of Linear Technology's complaint, redacted to exclude confidential material, can be viewed at http://info.usitc.gov/sec/dockets.nsf .
About Linear Technology
Linear Technology Corporation, a manufacturer of high performance linear integrated circuits, was founded in 1981, became a public company in 1986 and joined the S&P 500 index of major public companies in 2000. Linear Technology products include high performance amplifiers, comparators, voltage references, monolithic filters, linear regulators, DC-DC converters, battery chargers, data converters, communications interface circuits, RF signal conditioning circuits, and many other analog functions. Applications for Linear Technology's high performance circuits include telecommunications, cellular telephones, networking products such as optical switches, notebook and desktop computers, computer peripherals, video/multimedia, industrial instrumentation, security monitoring devices, high-end consumer products such as digital cameras and MP3 players, complex medical devices, automotive electronics, factory automation, process control, and military and space systems. For more information, visit http://www.linear.com.
This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of federal securities regulations. These forward-looking statements include future events in the litigation announced. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those described from time to time in Linear Technology's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. In particular, litigation involves risks and uncertainties of duration, cost, and outcome. Linear Technology assumes no obligation to update this forward-looking information.
Source: prnewswire
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