Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research v. Cochlear Corp.

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research (“AMF” or “plaintiff’) brings this action, alleging that defendants Cochlear Corporation and Cochlear Ltd. (collectively, “Cochlear” or “defendants”) infringed two patents directed to cochlear implant technology. (See First Amended Complaint for Patent Infringement (“FAC”) at ¶¶ 17 & 21-23; Reply and Counterclaims-in-Reply to Cochlear Americas and Cochlear Limited’s Counterclaims (“PL’s Supp. Claims”) at 1314) (Document Nos. 164 & 171). AMF alleges that Cochlear infringed U.S. Patent No. 5,938, -691, entitled “Multichannel Implantable Cochlear Stimulator” (“the '691 patent”), and U.S. Patent No. 5,609,616, entitled “Physician’s Testing System and Method for Testing Implantable Cochlear Stimulator” (“the '616 patent”) (collectively, “the patents-in-suit”). (See FAC at ¶¶ 21-23; Pl.’s Supp. Claims at 13-14).

The '691 patent is generally directed to a cochlea stimulation system comprising of: (1) an audio signal, receiving device, i.e., a microphone; (2) a wearable processor (“WP”) that receives and processes audio signals; and (3) an implanted cochlea stimulator…