Lemelson v. Ideal Toy Corp.

286 F. Supp. 993, 159 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 783, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12269
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 12, 1968
DocketNo. 68 Civ. 1286
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 286 F. Supp. 993 (Lemelson v. Ideal Toy Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lemelson v. Ideal Toy Corp., 286 F. Supp. 993, 159 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 783, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12269 (S.D.N.Y. 1968).

Opinion

POLLACK, District Judge.

The defendant, sued herein for patent infringement and for breach of an exclusive licensing agreement under the same patent, moves for summary judgment of dismissal of this suit pursuant to Rule 56 F.R.Civ.P. and for counsel fees under 35 U.S.C. § 285, on the ground that the suit is frivolous and poses no genuine issue of material fact.

The plaintiff is the owner of U. S. Patent No. 2,939,707 issued to him on application No. 485,041, effective June 30, 1960. The parties entered into an exclusive license to the defendant under this patent in 1960. This licensing agreement was made while application No. 485,041 was pending and in anticipation of the issuance of patent No. 2,939,707. The defendant, a toy manufacturer, is manufacturing and selling two toys which plaintiff alleges are covered by the patent claims. The relief which plaintiff seeks is damages for patent infringement by the defendant’s sale of its toy called the Elephant Ring Toss and royalty payments claimed to have been agreed on in the licensing agreement on the sales of the defendant’s toy called the Water Basketball Game.

Defendant contends that the license agreement operates by its terms and implications as a complete defense to the plaintiff’s suit. The defendant asserts that the Elephant Ring Toss is mentioned in and expressly excluded from royalty obligation by the license; and defendant asserts that the definition of the toys subject to royalty was so drawn as to exclude by necessary implication any royal[995]*995ty obligation on sales of the Water Basketball Game.

The rules for decision of this controversy are clear. The existence of a patent license is a complete defense in a suit for infringement. Western Electric Co. v. Pacent Reproducer Corp., 42 F.2d 116 (2d Cir.), cert. den., 282 U.S. 873, 51 S.Ct. 78, 75 L.Ed. 771 (1930); DeForest Radio Telephone Co. v. United States, 273 U.S. 236, 47 S.Ct. 366, 71 L.Ed. 625 (1927). Where the Court’s construction of a patent license agreement disposes of the plaintiff’s claim, summary judgment is the proper remedy. New Wrinkle, Inc. v. John L. Armitage & Co., 238 F.2d 753 (3d Cir. 1956); See, also Automatic Radio Mfg. Co. v. Hazeltine Research, Inc., 339 U.S. 827, 70 S.Ct. 894, 94 L.Ed. 1312 (1950). “* * * [W]hen * * * an affirmative defense is legally sufficient, the defendant is entitled to summary judgment.” 6 Moore’s Federal Practice (1966 ed.) U 56.17 [11] at 2512.

The statements required by Rule 9(g) of the General Rules of this Court on a motion for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 56 of the Rules of Civil Procedure reveal the following factual background.

Some time prior to April 29, 1960, the plaintiff Lemelson made confidential disclosures of certain inventive ideas relating to toys and novelty devices to the defendant Ideal Toy Corporation (hereafter Ideal). A dispute arose about Ideal’s obligation to compensate Lemelson for these disclosures and as a result a civil action was brought thereon by Lemelson in this Court on or about January 29, 1958. That action was settled by the execution of a settlement agreement on April 29, 1960. The settlement provided for two license agreements which were duly made; only one of the licenses is involved in the present controversy.

Attached to the settlement agreement v/as a letter of January 13, 1953 acknowledging an agreement between the parties in relation to two toys that Lemelson had submitted to Ideal, one of which was an inflatable toy mounted on a base so that it might be used as a pull toy or as a mechanical toy; and the other was an inflatable target game which was constructed of a plastic. The items so submitted had been accepted by Ideal for the purpose of manufacture and sale to the world. Ideal agreed to pay Lemelson a 5% royalty based on the sale price of these items, to commence with the first of January, 1953.

The agreement of settlement of the 1958 law suit provided that in consideration of the payment by Ideal to Lemelson of $15,500 and the rewriting and clarification of the 1953 understanding, Lemelson released Ideal from all claims for breach of confidential disclosure or unjust infringement which he might have against Ideal. It was further understood that the $15,500 so paid would represent full payment for any and all confidential disclosures theretofore presented by Lemelson to Ideal and Lemelson agreed to make no further claim thereafter against Ideal for use, past, present or future of such confidential disclosures in any manner whatsoever. Lemelson further released Ideal from any claims for infringement of any patent then or thereafter issued as to the items referred to in the law suit “with the exception of pending application Serial No. 485,041 filed January 31, 1955, PLASTIC TOY”, and another patent application not here material.

The settlement agreement further provided that the substance of the contract of January 13, 1953 should be recast into two separate licenses, one for each of the described toys. The license with which we are here concerned was annexed as Exhibit D to the settlement agreement.

Exhibit D is entitled “LICENSE AGREEMENT” and was entered into on April 29, 1960 by the parties hereto. It recites history; that Ideal is licensed by Lemelson to manufacture inflatable toys pursuant to their letter agreement of January 13, 1953 and that both parties are desirous of further clarifying and defining their respective rights and obligations “under said letter agreement”.

[996]*996Paragraph “1” of Exhibit D revokes the letter agreement of January 13, 1953 which is replaced in its entirety by the new license agreement. Paragraph “2” of Exhibit D contains a grant from Lemelson to Ideal of an exclusive license to make, use and sell throughout the world the items known as “Inflatable Target Toys” for the term and under the conditions set forth in such license. The toys intended to be included in the agreement are defined therein as inflatable target toys mounted on a base capable of being knocked over by an object, such as a ball, thrown through the air at such targets. Lemelson acknowledged in the agreement that he had not made any confidential disclosures to Ideal of any toys being made at that time by Ideal, which came within the scope or intent of the said definition or within the scope of the license agreement “including without limitation the Elephant Ring Toss Game No. 5220” and other games specifically also mentioned in the agreement. Ideal agreed to pay a 5% royalty on its sales of the defined items and the method of accounting therefor is set forth.

In paragraph “7” of Exhibit D, Lemelson warranted that a Patent Application Serial No. 485,041, filed January 31,1955 entitled PLASTIC TOYS was pending before the Patent Office “and in the event that a patent is granted * * * then Ideal shall receive an exclusive license under said patent * * * without any further payments other than those provided for hereunder, and under the same terms and conditions as set forth herein.”

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Bluebook (online)
286 F. Supp. 993, 159 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 783, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12269, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lemelson-v-ideal-toy-corp-nysd-1968.