Philips wins $10.4m but fined $3.3m in defibrillator patent suit

A Massachusetts jury has awarded technology company Philips $10.4 million but also fined it $3.3 million in a seven-year patent infringement lawsuit against Zoll Medical.

The jury, at the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, awarded Philips the sum yesterday.

Philips sued in 2010, accusing Zoll of infringement through the sale of heart defibrillators, including Zoll’s AED Plus and AED Pro products.

According to the claim, Philips notified Zoll of the company’s infringing conduct in November 2008.

In its second amended complaint, filed in April 2012, Philips claimed that Zoll had infringed 15 US patents: numbers 5,607,454; 5,721,482; 5,735,879; 5,749,905; 5,773,961; 5,800,460; 5,803,927; 5,836,978; 5,879,374; 6,047,212; 6,178,357; 6,304,783; 6,356,785; 6,441,582; and 6,871,093.

Zoll counterclaimed, alleging infringement of its own patents, including US numbers 5,330,526 and 5,391,187.

Over the long-running dispute, the parties filed a motion to dismiss a number of Philips’ patents, in February 2013.

Yesterday, the jury awarded Philips $8.9 million for infringement of its ‘374 patent and awarded $1.5 million for infringement of the ‘454 and ‘905 patents.

However, the jury also found that Philips had infringed two of Zoll’s patents, numbers ‘526 and ‘187, holding that Philips must pay Zoll $3.3 million.

Did you enjoy reading this story?  Sign up to our free newsletters and get stories like this sent straight to your inbox.