Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. v. Power Integrations, Inc.

100 F. Supp. 3d 357, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51876, 2015 WL 1799835
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedApril 15, 2015
DocketC.A. No. 12-540-LPS
StatusPublished

This text of 100 F. Supp. 3d 357 (Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. v. Power Integrations, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. v. Power Integrations, Inc., 100 F. Supp. 3d 357, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51876, 2015 WL 1799835 (D. Del. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

STARK, District Judge

Pending before the Court are the following motions:

1. Power Integrations’ Motion to Sever and Stay Fairchild’s Claims Regarding the '972 Patent (D.1.187);
2. Fairchild’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, or, in the Alternative, Motion for Partial Summary Judgment that Preclusion Law Bars Power Integrations From Re-Litigating the Validity and Direct Infringement of Claims 6, 7,18 and 19 of U.S. Patent No. 7,259,972 (D.I.190);
3. Fairchild’s Motion for Summary Judgment (D.1.193); and
[360]*3604. Power Integrations’ Motion for Summary Judgment (D.I. 196).

In this Memorandum Opinion, the Court addresses and resolves the first motion, deciding not to sever and stay proceedings with respect to the '972 patent. With respect to the preclusion issues, the Court resolves certain disputes, but needs further assistance from the parties before it can determine if resolution of these disputes also resolves some or all of Fair-child’s motion. Both parties’ summary judgment motions raise multiple issues (eight from Fairchild and five from Power Integrations). Here the Court only resolves the parties’ disputes regarding whether Fairchild’s '915 patent is prior art to Power Integrations’ asserted '457 patent (as well as a portion of Power Integrations’ seeking summary judgment relating to literal infringement of the '972 patent, which Fairchild does not oppose).1

I. BACKGROUND

On May 1, 2012, Plaintiffs Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation and Fairchild (Taiwan) Corporation (collectively, “Fair-child” or “Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint against Power Integrations, Inc. (“Power Integrations” or “PI” or “Defendant”) alleging infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,525,259 (“the '259 Patent”), 7,259,972 (“the '972 Patent”), 7,616,461 (“the '461 Patent”), and 7,286,123 (“the '123 Patent”). (D.I. 1) On June 21, 2012, Power Integrations counterclaimed against Fairchild, alleging infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,229,366 (“the '366 Patent”), 7,876,587 (“the '587 Patent”), 8,115,457 (“the '457 Patent”), and 7,995,359 (“the '359 Patent”).

Fact and expert discovery are complete and trial will begin on May 26, 2015. The Court heard oral argument on the pending motions on March 3, 2015. {See D.I. 292 (“Tr.”))

II. LEGAL STANDARDS

A. Motion to Sever and Stay

Whether or not to stay litigation pending reexamination by the PTO of the patents-in-suit is a matter left to the Court’s discretion. See Ethicon, Inc. v. Quigg, 849 F.2d 1422, 1426-27 (Fed.Cir.1998). In exercising this discretion, the Court must weigh the competing interests of the parties. See Landis v. N. Am. Co., 299 U.S. 248, 255, 57 S.Ct. 163, 81 L.Ed. 153 (1936). The factors typically considered are: (1) whether a stay will simplify the issues and trial of the case, (2) whether discovery is complete and a trial date has been set, and (3) whether a stay would unduly prejudice or present a clear tactical disadvantage to the non-moving party. See St. Clair Intellectual Prop. v. Sony Corp., 2003 WL 25283239, at *1 (D.Del. Jan. 30, 2003).

B. Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings

A motion for judgment on the pleadings pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c), alleging a failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, is analyzed under the same standard as a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss. See Turbe v. Gov’t of Virgin Islands, 938 F.2d 427, 428 (3d Cir.1991). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) permits a court to dismiss all or part of an action for “failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” A motion to dismiss requires a court to accept as true all material allegations of the complaint. See Spruill v. Gillis, 372 F.3d 218, 223 (3d Cir.2004). “The [361]*361issue is not whether a plaintiff will ultimately prevail but whether the claimant is entitled to offer evidence to support the claims.” In re Burlington Coat Factory Sec. Litig., 114 F.3d 1410, 1420 (3d Cir.1997). Thus, a court may grant a motion to dismiss only if, after “accepting all well-pleaded allegations in the complaint as true, and viewing them in the light most favorable to plaintiff, plaintiff is not entitled to relief.” Mato v. Aetna, Inc., 221 F.3d 472, 482 (3d Cir.2000).

The Court may consider matters of public record, and authentic documents upon which the complaint is based if attached to the complaint or as an exhibit to the motion. See Oshiver v. Levin, Fishbein, Sedran & Berman, 38 F.3d 1380, 1384 n. 2 (3d Cir.1994). The Court may also take judicial notice of the factual record of a prior proceeding. See Oneida Motor Freight, Inc. v. United Jersey Bank, 848 F.2d 414, 416 n. 3 (3d Cir.1988). Ultimately, a motion for judgment on the pleadings can be granted “only if no relief could be afforded under any set of facts that could be proved.” Turbe, 938 F.2d at 428.

B. Motion for Summary Judgment

Pursuant to Rule 56(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, “[t]he court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” The moving party bears the burden of demonstrating the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. See Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 585-86, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). An assertion that a fact cannot be — or, alternatively, is genuinely disputed must be supported either by citing to “particular parts of materials in the record, including depositions, documents, electronically stored information, affidavits or declarations, stipulations (including those made for purposes of the motion only), admissions, interrogatory answers, or other materials,” or by “showing that the materials cited do not establish the absence or presence of a genuine dispute, or that an adverse party cannot produce admissible evidence to support the fact.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)(1)(A) & (B).

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100 F. Supp. 3d 357, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51876, 2015 WL 1799835, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fairchild-semiconductor-corp-v-power-integrations-inc-ded-2015.