The Korean Intellectual Property Tribunal has ruled in favor of claimant JP Sercel Associates, Inc. (JPSA), invalidating two Korean patents filed by QMC that deal with scribing and laser lift-off (LLO).
JPSA, based in Manchester, New Hampshire, is a manufacturer of laser micromachining systems for LED production.
The invalidated patents are No. 724540, “Laser Beam transmission system and method of the same and lift-off process method,” and No. 588459, “An adjustable laser beam delivery system and method for forming the same.” Patent No. 588459 was invalidated on June 23, 2010 and Patent No. 724540 on July 8, 2010.
JPSA contended that QMC’s patent claims were invalid over various prior-art references including JPSA’s Korean Patent No. 0849779, “Method for separating layers of material,” and Korean Patent No. 790644, “System and method for cutting using a variable astigmatic focal beam spot.”
JPSA’s Chairman, Jeffrey Sercel, stated, “Prior to developing laser systems, QMC was a former Korean sales and service representative of JPSA; therefore, they had key information about our technology and methods. We were surprised and disappointed to find QMC filing for patents that we already had Patents for. Despite our disappointment, we continue to invest valuable time and money to protect our highly advanced laser technology, and our years of experience and development work has resulted in JPSA’s strong market presence in scribing and LLO of LEDs.”
QMC has already appealed the invalidation decisions, but JPSA is confident that the Korean Patent Court will agree with the findings made by the Intellectual Property Tribunal on June 23rd and July 8th, 2010.
