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Date Announced: 02 Oct 2015
Yesterday, on October 1, 2015, in a nullity proceeding, the German Federal Patent Court (Bundespatentgericht) found the German patent 695 00 997.4 (the German Part of the European Patent 0 754 103) to be invalid. This patent is a German counterpart of the fundamental U.S. patent (U.S. Patent 5,656,186) filed in 1994, assigned to The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and invented by a team at the University of Michigan’s Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (CUOS). IMRA America Inc. is an Exclusive Licensee in non-biologic field of use of the Patent from the University of Michigan.
The basic U.S. ‘186 patent has long been found to be valid in several U.S. Patent Office Proceedings and is fundamental to the field of material processing with ultra-short pulsed lasers. The advanced technology disclosed in the patent relates to complex laser interaction with materials to achieve breakthrough performance in laser-based micromachining applications, resulting in extraordinary precision and material processing quality.
IMRA America has, for many years, taken all actions necessary to protect the patented technology as well as their own licensing rights and the rights of their licensees. IMRA strongly disagrees with the decision of the German Court and is considering their options to appeal the case.
About IMRA America, Inc.: founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1990, it is dedicated to the development of ultrafast fiber laser technologies for commercial applications. IMRA’s technology portfolio includes over 450 US and international patents and patent applications. The company’s pioneering technologies, rigorous quality control and high volume manufacturing operation make IMRA’s products the sound choice for scientific, OEM and industrial use. IMRA also continues with cutting edge research in areas of new functional nano-materials for bio-medical and energy applications, keeping IMRA front and center in a broad spectrum of research and development.
E-mail: jalexand@imra.com
Web Site: www.imra.com
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