Synopsys, Inc. v. Siemens Industry Software Inc.

District Court, N.D. California·Decided April 2, 2021·No. 3:20-cv-04151·Unknown

Opinion

SYNOPSYS, INC., Case No. 20-cv-04151-WHO

Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING MOTION TO v. STAY; DENYING MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE SUR-REPLY; AND SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC., GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART MOTIONS TO SEAL Defendant. Re: Dkt. Nos. 68, 69, 72, 80, 84, 85

INTRODUCTION This is a patent litigation case in which plaintiff Synopsys, Inc. (“Synopsys”) accuses defendant Siemens Industry Software Inc.’s (“Siemens”) Aprisa product of infringing four of Synopsys’s patents. Siemens moves to stay the action under the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”), arguing that the most recent updated release of its Aprisa product is covered by a licensing agreement between the parties and that the parties have agreed to arbitrate any disputes relating to the scope of that license. But as Synopsys argues, the conditions precedent for arbitration set out in the licensing agreement have not yet been met and there is currently no ripe issue referable to arbitration. Siemens’s motion to stay is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.1 Siemens may move to stay this action again if and when the conditions precedent to arbitration have been satisfied. In addition, the parties’ motions to seal are GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. BACKGROUND I. PATENT LICENSING & SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN SIEMENS & In June 2018 Synopsys, Siemens AG, the parent company of defendant Siemens, and Mentor Graphics, an indirect subsidiary of Siemens AG, entered into a Patent Licensing and Settlement Agreement (“PLSA”) to resolve 22 separate actions between the corporate families. See Dkt. No. 68-9 (“PLSA”) § 4.1, 5.1. The PLSA grants a license to “Siemens Subsidiaries” under “Synopsys Patents” to use “Siemens Licensed Products.” Id. § 1.17, 1.23. The PLSA includes the following dispute resolution process for any disputes arising out of the agreement: 10.4.1. If any dispute arises in connection with this Agreement, the responsible representatives of the parties shall attempt, in fair dealing and in good faith, to settle such dispute. Each party can request from the other party that on both sides a senior representative becomes involved in the negotiations. Each party is at any time entitled to terminate the settlement negotiations and to have recourse to an ADR proceeding set forth in Section 10.4.2 through written notification to the other party. 10.4.2. If the parties are not able to reach an amicable settlement pursuant to Section 10.4.1 they shall try to agree on an appropriate alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proceeding (for example mediation, conciliation, expert determination, dispute board, adjudication). If they do not reach agreement on the appropriate ADR proceeding within fourteen (14) days after failure of the settlement negotiations or if the dispute is not settled through ADR proceeding within a period of two (2) months after initiation of the ADR proceeding either party may initiate an arbitration proceeding pursuant to Section 10.4.3. 10.4.3 All disputes arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, including any question regarding its existence, validity or termination, shall be finally settled under the January 1, 1998 Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by three (3) arbitrators, with each party nominating an arbitrator and the third arbitrator, who will act as chairman of the Arbitral Tribunal, nominated by the two (2) arbitrators. The seat of arbitration shall be New York, New York. The procedural law of this seat applicable to international arbitration proceedings shall apply where the Rules are silent. The language to be used in the arbitration proceedings shall be English. Id. §§ 10.4.1, 10.4.2, 10.4.3. II. CURRENT LITIGATION On June 23, 2020, Synopsys filed the present action against Avatar, alleging that Avatar’s Aprisa product infringed several Synopsys patents. See Dkt. No. 1. Shortly after this action was filed, Siemens publicly announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Avatar. See Dkt. No. 4. On December 1, 2020, Avatar merged into Siemens and ceased to exist as a stand- alone entity. See Dkt. No. 51. The parties subsequently stipulated to substitute Siemens as defendant for Avatar. See Dkt. Nos. 58, 59. On December 15, 2020, Siemens released a new version of its newly acquired Aprisa product, version 20.1.rel.1.0. See Dkt. No. 68-8 (“Mot.”). On January 7, 2021, Siemens notified Synopsys of its position that the new 20.1.rel.1.0 release, and any future release, was covered by the parties’ PLSA and therefore licensed as a Siemens Licensed Product under Synopsys’s patents. In light of this position, Siemens requested that Synopsys: (1) file a joint stipulation that Synopsys’s operative complaint does not include claims against Aprisa 20.1.rel.1.0, or subsequent versions, or (2) dismiss without prejudice its claims for ongoing infringement against Aprisa 20.1.rel.1.0., and subsequent versions, or (3) agree to stay the case with respect to such claims pending arbitration. Dkt. No. 68-12 (“Pellikan Decl. Ex. 8”) at 1. Siemens also requested that, to the extent Synopsys disputed the 20.1.rel.1.0 release was licensed under the PLSA, that Synopsys “agree to immediately become involved in settlement discussions concerning the parties’ dispute relating to Synopsys’s claims in Synopsys’s Lawsuit about whether defendant’s products (including Aprisa 20.1.rel.1.0 and any subsequent products) are licensed as ‘Siemens Licensed Products’ under Synopsys’s patents, pursuant to Sections 1.15 and 3.1.3 of the Agreement.” Dkt. No. 68-11 (“Pellikan Decl., Ex. 7”). On January 21, 2021, Synopsys requested additional information about Aprisa 20.1.rel.1.0 so that Synopsys could assess and determine whether it fell within the scope of the PLSA. Dkt. No. 68-13 (“Pellikan Decl., Ex. 9”) at 1. Since January 27, 2021, Synopsys has been working to review and assess the Aprisa source code. Siemens filed a motion to stay this action, pending arbitration, on February 12, 2021. See Mot. Synopses filed an opposition to the motion on February 26, 2021, see Dkt. No. 72-4 (“Opp.”), and Siemens filed a reply on March 5, 2021, see Dkt. No. 80-3 (“Reply”). On March 11, 2021, Synopsys moved for leave to file a sur-reply, arguing that a sur-reply was justified because Siemens raised new arguments and cases in its reply brief. See Dkt. No. 84-6 (“Sur- Reply”).2 Under the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”), a party may move to stay an action brought 2 Synopsys’s motion for leave to file a sur-reply is DENIED. The new arguments and cases Siemens cites in its Reply are in direct response to the arguments raised in Synopsys’s opposition. “upon any issue referable to arbitration under an agreement in writing for such arbitration.” 9 U.S.C. § 3. Section 3 of the FAA states in full: If any suit or proceeding be brought in any of the courts of the United States upon any issue referable to arbitration under an agreement in writing for such arbitration, the court in which such suit is pending, upon being satisfied that the issue involved in such suit or proceeding is referable to arbitration under such an agreement, shall on application of one of the parties stay the trial of the action until such arbitration has been had in accordance with the terms of the agreement, providing the applicant for the stay is not in default in proceeding with such arbitration. Id. If a court determines that a case is “referable to arbitration” the FAA requires the court to stay the action upon a party’s motion. See Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., v. Mortgage Guar. Ins. Corp., 642 F.3d 849, 854 (9th Cir. 2011) (noting that the FAA “gives the adjudicating court no discretion as to whether to award relief”). In applying the FAA a court must assess “(1) whether a valid agreement to arbitr

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Synopsys, Inc. v. Siemens Industry Software Inc., (N.D. Cal. 2021).

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