Patent court rules that IPG Photonics infringed on Trumpf patent

IPG Photonics (IPGP) announced that the Local Division of the Unified Patent Court located in Dusseldorf, Germany has issued a decision in a patent infringement case brought by Trumpf. The court ruled that certain uses and designs of IPG’s adjustable mode beam lasers infringed European Patent 2,624,031. The decision impacts AMB laser products sold in Germany, France and Italy, affecting less than 1% of IPG’s total sales. The company is implementing contingency measures to support AMB customers. Other lasers models made by IPG were not involved in the lawsuit and IPG’s product portfolio remains broadly available. Remedies available to the patent owner, including an injunction, recall and damages, may be enforced and determined at a subsequent time after the required conditions have been satisfied. The company said, “IPG respectfully disagrees with the decision and plans to file an appeal with the UPC Court of Appeal and pursue other measures available to it. IPG previously disclosed that affiliates of Trumpf have brought two separate actions in the Unified Patent Courts in Mannheim, Germany and Dusseldorf, Germany asserting two different patents against IPG’s AMB lasers. IPG previously announced the Mannheim court’s decision and IPG’s intention to appeal. Today’s announcement relates solely to a different patent asserted in the separate Dusseldorf proceeding.”