IXYS Corp. v. Advanced Power Technology, Inc.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER RE: DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT OF NON-INFRINGEMENT AND SUMMARY JUDGMENT OF INVALIDITY FOR OBVIOUSNESS

Plaintiff IXYS Corporation (“IXYS”) filed this action against defendant Advanced Power Technology, Inc. (“APT”), alleging infringement of two U.S. patents, numbered 5,486,715 (the “ ’715 patent”) and 5,801,419 (the “’419 patent”), that it holds on an improved design for power MOSFET devices. APT has counterclaimed for infringement of its patents, numbered 5,283,202 (the “ ’202 patent”) and 5,262,336 (the “ ’336 patent”). The parties are now before the court upon APT’s motions seeking summary adjudication that its accused products do not infringe IXYS’s ’715 and ’419 patents and summary judgment that IXYS’s patents are invalid because obvious. After having considered the parties’ arguments and submissions, and for the reasons set forth below, the court rules as follows.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff IXYS Corporation and defendant Advanced Power Technology, Inc. are both semiconductor manufacturing firms that do business in Santa Clara, California. IXYS filed suit against APT on August 15, 2002, alleging that APT was infringing two related patents…