Honeywell International, Inc. v. Universal Avionics Systems Corp.

397 F. Supp. 2d 537, 63 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 505, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25967, 2005 WL 2860001
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedNovember 1, 2005
DocketCIV.A. 03-242-MPT
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 397 F. Supp. 2d 537 (Honeywell International, Inc. v. Universal Avionics Systems Corp.) 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
Honeywell International, Inc. v. Universal Avionics Systems Corp., 397 F. Supp. 2d 537, 63 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 505, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25967, 2005 WL 2860001 (D. Del. 2005).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

THYNGE, United States Magistrate Judge.

On December 8, 2004, a jury found in favor of plaintiffs Honeywell International, Inc. and Honeywell Intellectual Properties, Inc. (herein collectively referred to as, “Honeywell”), and returned a verdict against defendant Universal Avionics Systems Corporation (herein referred to as, “Universal”) of infringement of Honeywell’s valid U.S. Patent, Number 4,914,436 (herein referred to as, “the ’436 patent”) for developing, marketing and delivering its Terrain Awareness Warning System (“TAWS”). The jury awarded Honeywell reasonable royalties in the amount of $5,448,000.00 to compensate for that infringement.

Successive to the verdict, Universal moved for judgment as a matter of law (“JMOL”). Universal contends that its JMOL motion supports its subsequent motion to stay the entry of an injunction. Universal filed its motion to stay the entry of an injunction, in part, as a response to Honeywell’s motion for a permanent injunction. Addressed in this opinion are Honeywell’s motion for a permanent injunction against Universal and Universal’s motion to stay entry of an injunction.

Honeywell directs the court to prevailing precedent, that, absent unusual circumstances, an injunction will issue when a jury finds that a defendant infringed a valid patent. 1 Honeywell asserts that the rationale for such well-established precedent lies in the concept.that a valid patent bestows upon the inventor a property right, which includes the right to exclude others from infringing. 2 Honeywell thereby maintains that the jury’s verdict entitles it to a permanent injunction prohibiting Universal from further infringement of the ’436 patent.

Universal contends that an injunction is unnecessary because, since the verdict, it has designed around the patent by eliminating the Destination Determination function, which was the focus of Honeywell’s infringement position at trial. Universal further maintains that its new design will gain market acceptance, thereby limiting the possibility that Universal would revert back to any iteration not “colorably different” than what was found to infringe. Universal additionally argues that an injunction is not required because monetary damages are an adequate remedy, and there is no irreparable harm. In the alternative, Universal contends that its motion for JMOL challenges the verdict, upon which Honeywell’s motion is based, and thus, warrants a stay of the entry of an injunction.

After careful consideration of the arguments, and for the reasons detailed below, the court grants Honeywell’s motion for a permanent injunction and denies Universal’s motion for stay of entry of a permanent injunction.

DISCUSSION

Law Governing Honeywell’s Motion for Permanent Injunction

The starting point regarding injunctive relief in patent cases is 35 U.S.C. § 283, which recites;

*540 The several courts having jurisdiction of cases under this title may grant injunctions in accordance with the principles of equity to prevent the violation of any right secured by patent, on such terms as the court deems reasonable. 3

Upon a determination of whether the court will grant a proposed injunction, the court will review Rule 65(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which governs the form and scope of an injunctive order. Rule 65(d) provides:

Form and Scope of Injunction or Restraining Order. Every order granting an injunction and every restraining order shall set forth the reasons for its issuance; shall be specific in terms; shall describe in reasonable detail, and not by reference to the complaint or other document, the act or acts sought to be restrained; and, be binding only upon the parties to the action, their officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys, and upon those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of the order by personal service or otherwise.

The purpose of Rule 65(d) is to insure that the injunction, when granted, will not be too broad in scope, and thus in application.

Therefore, the court is granted broad authority under the patent statute regarding injunctions. Injunctive relief is a matter of discretion and is not automatic since the particular equities of a case are to be weighed; 4 however, the general rule is “that an injunction will issue when infringement has been adjudged, absent sound reason for denying it.” 5 In Richardson, the Federal Circuit noted:

Infringement having been established, it is contrary to the laws of property, of which the patent law partakes, to deny the patentee’s right to exclude others from use of his property. 6

The preference to grant injunctions for infringement is directly tied to the principle that “the right to exclude recognized in a patent is but the essence of the concept of property.” 7 As a result, the presumption is that an injunction is warranted when an adjudication of infringement has been rendered.

Nevertheless, when deciding whether to grant a permanent injunction, the court “must consider all circumstances, including the adequacy of legal remedy, irreparable injury, whether the public interest would be served, and the hardship on the parties and third parties.” 8 While the court may give each equitable factor whatever weight it desires, with no single element controlling, both the Federal Circuit and this court have stated that:

In matters involving patent rights, irreparable harm has been presumed when a clear showing has been made of patent *541 validity and infringement 9 .... The Patent owner is entitled to a presumption of irreparable harm as a result of the jury’s finding of infringement. 10 This presumption derives in part from the finite term of the patent grant, for patent expiration is not suspended during litigation, and the passage of time can work irremediable harm. 11

Thus, two noteworthy presumptions govern: first, after infringement has been established, an injunction is presumed to be warranted and will issue absent sound reasons for denial; 12 and second, irreparable harm is presumed once a clear showing of infringement has been found by a jury verdict. 13

Positions of the Parties

Universal’s Contentions

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397 F. Supp. 2d 537, 63 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 505, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25967, 2005 WL 2860001, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/honeywell-international-inc-v-universal-avionics-systems-corp-ded-2005.