Nikon Corp. v. ASM Lithography B.V.

Good Law

308 F. Supp. 2d 1039·2004 WL 486233·2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3780

United States District Court, Northern District of CaliforniaMarch 11, 2004C 01-5031 MHP, C 02-5081 MHP, C 02-5601 MHPCalifornia30,212 words

Opinion

Patel, J.

Claim Construction Memorandum and Order for United States Patent Numbers 6,233,041, 6,377,336, 6,392,740, 6,008,500, and 5,810,832

On December 21, 2001, plaintiffs Nikon Corporation and Nikon Precision, Inc. (col lectively “Nikon” or “plaintiffs”) brought a patent infringement action against defendants ASM Lithography B.V. and ASM Lithography, Inc. (collectively “ASML” or “defendants”). Among other things, plaintiffs’ complaint alleges infringement of four patents: United States Patent Number 6,233,041 (“the ’041 patent”), United States Patent Number 6,377,336 (“the ’336 patent”), United States Patent Number 6,392,740 (“the ’740 patent”), and United States Patent Number 6,008,500 (“the ’500 patent”). All four patents pertain to photolithographic and microlitho-graphic machines used in the manufacture of integrated circuits.

Defendants timely answered plaintiffs’ complaint, later asserting inequitable conduct and antitrust counterclaims. Some of these counterclaims grew from plaintiffs’ alleged infringement of United States Patent Number 5,801,832 (“the ’832 patent”), an ASML-held patent also pertaining to photolithographic machinery. Nikon then filed a motion to dismiss…

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