English High Court hands win to Teleste in patent dispute

Finnish technology company  Teleste Corporation has been handed a win at the  English High Court after a British competitor,  Technetix, sued it for patent infringement.

In a judgment on Monday, November 18, the court determined that Technetix’s patent was invalid on several grounds and should be revoked. It also said that had the patents been valid, they would have been infringed.

The patent in dispute, UK number 1,259, 074, B8, covers a communication system for a cable network that is used to supply television and broadband services.

Technetix alleged that Teleste, which also manufactures electronic components for  Virgin Media, was infringing the patent. Teleste counterclaimed for revocation of the patent, alleging lack of novelty and inventive step.

Teleste also claimed that the invention disclosed in the specification extends beyond that disclosed in the application for the patent when it was filed.

In its complaint, Technetix alleged that three of Teleste’s products infringe its patent. Teleste said it accepted that two of its products fell within the scope of the patent, but argued that the patent is invalid.

In its decision, the court agreed with Teleste, finding that the invention covered by the patent would be general knowledge to a skilled person, and therefore lacks novelty and an inventive step.

Additionally, it found that claim 1 of the patent discloses matter that extends beyond that disclosed in the application as filed.

Johan Slotte, the deputy CEO of Teleste Corporation, welcomed the decision.

“We were subject to some very serious allegations and it is good that these have now been shown to be without merit.”

The judgment comes after a previous decision earlier this year when Technetix brought a similar action against Teleste for alleged infringement of another patent.

In January, the UK’s Intellectual Property Enterprise Court found that Technetix’s patent in that case was also invalid and should be revoked.

Gary Moss, the head of  EIP Legal, who led the team which represented Teleste, said the latest decision coupled with the earlier IPEC decision represents “a very satisfactory outcome”.

“These cases have been hanging over Tesleste since the end of 2016, and it has been a surprisingly long haul. These two decisions are a complete vindication of the positions which our client adopted in these actions and are the outcome of some very hard work by our team,” he said.

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