Linear Technology Corp. v. Micrel, Inc.

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

On May 9, 1994, plaintiff Linear Technology Corporation brought this action against defendant Micrel, Inc., alleging that the MIC 2172 and MIC 3172 products infringed United States Patent No. 4,775,-741 (“’741 patent”) and Reexamination Certificate B1 4,755,741. This action was originally assigned to United States District Court Judge Eugene F. Lynch. Judge Lynch denied Mierel’s motion for summary judgment on whether the ’741 patent is invalid due to an on-sale bar pursuant to 35 U.S.C. section 102 . See Order dated February 26, 1997. In the same order, Judge Lynch bifurcated this action for trial on the issue of whether the ’741 patent is invalid due to an on-sale bar, and stayed all other issues for later discovery and trial. See id. at 2 . On July 15, 1997, the action was reassigned to this court. The court conducted a bench trial on the limited issue of whether the ’741 patent is invalid due to an on-sale bar. Having considered the testimony presented at trial and the other evidence submitted by the parties, the court FINDS for defendant Micrel and enters the following findings of fact and conclusions of law in accordance with its…