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崇貿反擊,在美控告Power Integrations侵權

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科技產業資訊室 (iKnow) - David 發表於 2008年10月22日
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Power Integrations在美國ITC控告崇貿科技(System General)被判侵權確立。崇貿科技展開反擊,2008年10月14日在美德拉瓦州聯邦地方法院,控告Power Integrations侵犯三件專利權,如表一。專利內容與PWM(Pulse Width Modulation,脈衝寬度調變)技術相關,其中PWM技術廣泛應用於液晶顯示器電源供應器、隔離式的電源供應器與電池充電器等。

表一、崇貿科技(含母公司快捷半導體Fairchild Semiconductor)與Power Integrations間專利訴訟

時間

原告

被告

地點

系爭專利

2008年10月14日

Fairchild Semiconductor
System General

Power Integrations

Delaware

US7,259,972
US7,352,595
US7,061,780

2008年5月23日

Power Integrations

Fairchild Semiconductor
System General

Delaware

 

2007年4月2日

Fairchild Semiconductor& Intersil

Power Integrations

US5,264,719

2005年7月8日

(2006年8月29日判決)

Power Integrations

Fairchild Semiconductor

ITC

[註1]

US6,212,079
US6,366,481
US6,538,908

註1:claims 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 17-19 of US6,212,079; claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 24, 28, and 29 of US6,351,398; claims 8 and 12 of US6,366,481; claims 1, 4, 9-11, 13, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27, 30, 31, and 34 of US6,538,908.
Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理,2008/10。

表二、系爭專利

 

Publication Title Assignee Pub. Date Filed Priority IPC Code
US5264719  High voltage lateral semiconductor device Harris Corporation  1993-11-23   1991-05-24   1986-01-07  H01L 29/06
US6212079  Method and apparatus for improving efficiency in a switching regulator at light loads Power Integrations, Inc.  2001-04-03   2000-06-30   2000-06-30  H02M 3/28
US6366481  Method and apparatus providing a multi-function terminal for a power supply controller Power Integrations, Inc.  2002-04-02   2000-10-26   1999-09-24  H02M 1/00
US6538908  Method and apparatus providing a multi-function terminal for a power supply controller Power Integrations, Inc.  2003-03-25   2002-06-11   1999-09-24  H02M 1/00
US7061780  Switching control circuit with variable switching frequency for primary-side-controlled power converters System General Corp.  2006-06-13   2004-09-09   2004-09-09  H02M 3/335
US7259972  Primary-side-control power converter having a switching controller using frequency hopping and voltage and current control loops System General Corporation  2007-08-21   2004-10-07   2004-10-07  H02M 3/335
US7352595  Primary-side controlled switching regulator System General Corp.  2008-04-01   2005-11-08   2005-11-08  H02M 3/335

表三、崇貿科技控告Power Integrations之三件專利

 

專利號

發明人

第一獨立項

US7,259,972

Yang, Ta-yung

A power converter comprising:
a switch, responsive to a switching signal, to control electrical power in the power converter; and
a controller to generate the switching signal and to control the switching signal in response to a first feedback signal associated with a voltage control loop and a second feedback signal associated with a current control loop;
wherein the controller includes a pattern generator to generate a digital pattern and the controller uses the digital pattern for use in generating the switching signal as a frequency-hopping switching signal to the switch.

US7,352,595

Yang, a-yung;
Li, huh-Ching; Tsao, Feng Cheng;

A primary-side controlled switching regulator, comprising:
a transformer, for transferring the energy from a primary-side to a secondary side of the transformer;
a switching device, for switching the transformer;
a control circuit, coupled to the transformer for generating a switching signal to switch the switching device and to regulate the output of the switching regulator;
wherein the control circuit including:
a first circuit, coupled to the transformer for generating a first signal and a timing signal by measuring a reflected signal of the transformer, and wherein the timing signal represents a discharge time of the transformer;
a second circuit and a third circuit producing a second signal by integrating a current signal with the timing signal, and wherein the current signal represents a primary-side switching current of the transformer;
a first error amplifier, having a first reference signal for generating a first feedback signal in response to the first signal; and wherein the first reference signal is increased in response to the increase of the second signal;
a second error amplifier, having a second reference signal for generating a second feedback signal in response to the second signal; and
a switching control circuit, generating the switching signal in response to the first feedback signal and the second feedback signal.

US7,061,780

Yang, a-yung; Hung, Guo-Kiang; Lin, Jenn-yu G.;
Tsao, Feng Cheng;
Wei, Chiu Shao;

A switching control circuit for a primary-side-controlled power converter, comprising:
a switch for switching a transformer; wherein said transformer is coupled to an input voltage of the power converter;
a sense device, which is coupled to said transformer for sensing current or/and voltage of said transformer;
a switching signal, coupled to said switch for regulating an output voltage and a maximum output current of the power converter; and
a controller, coupled to said transformer to generate a first feedback signal and a discharge-time signal by multi-sampling a voltage signal and a discharge time of said transformer during an off-time of said switching signal, said controller further coupled to said sense device to generate a second feedback signal in response to said discharge-time signal and a current signal of said transformer, wherein said controller generates said switching signal in response to said first feedback signal, said controller controlling a switching frequency of said switching signal in response to said second feedback signal.

Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理,2008/10。

補充說明,2007年2月15日快捷半導體(Fairchild Semiconductor)宣佈成功完成對崇貿科技收購,每股作價為新臺幣93元,總收購價1.85億美元,使得崇貿科技成為快捷半導體子公司。此外,針對ITC調查案,2006年8月29日ITC已判定崇貿科技侵權。而崇貿科技也於2006年12月7日針對337-TA-541案件,向美國聯邦上訴法院提起上訴,最終判決結果未定。其餘雙方訴訟關係歷史如表二所示。

最後,崇貿科技與快捷半導體主動出擊當然是重要的。因為一來2007年4月2日初戰已經失利,2008年5月23日Power Integrations又重起一戰,基於此,崇貿科技若無啟動新訴訟,恐怕也占不到什麼便宜。當然,專利訴訟曠日廢時,要錢多、人多與又要命長,除了找到好幫手打贏這戰外,迴避設計、持續研發與開發新產品也是必要的。沒關係,這些問題現在都是崇貿科技母公司快捷半導體的事,我們就持續觀察吧!

(1278字;表2)


 
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