General Protecht, an electrical product manufacturer based in
East China's Zhejiang Province, has won a three-year patent
infringement lawsuit in the United States.
According to a Federal Court ruling in New Mexico, the ground
fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) products of General Protecht did
not infringe upon the patents of the US company Leviton.
Beginning in April 2004, Leviton filed lawsuits against several
customers of General Protecht in New Mexico, Florida and
California, alleging several patent infringements of its
products.
GFCI is a small electrical device often used in houses. They can
reduce the risk of electrocution.
"It's a great win for General Protecht, which has always
respected the intellectual property rights (IPR) of others," said
Chen Wusheng, president of the company.
It shows a Chinese company, which conducts business in the US,
can be treated fairly and impartially according to the rule of law,
he added.
General Protecht is a specialized manufacturer of GFCI. All of
its products are exported to countries such as the US and Canada.
The products have been approved by Underwriter Laboratories Inc
(UL) and Canadian Underwriter Laboratories Inc (CUL).
As a large-scale export enterprise, General Protecht has paid
great attention to its patents. The company has obtained several
invention patents and outward design patents in China as well as in
the US, said Chen.
Chen also said the technologies of his company are more advanced
than its US competitors and are popular with US consumers. Leviton
simply wants to use its patent rights as a tool to stifle
competition, Chen added.
The lawsuit has significantly affected General Protecht's
business. Sales have plummeted sharply and the company has to pay
hefty legal fees. However, it vowed not to back down, he said.
"It's a significant win for General Protecht. The company has
set up a good example for other Chinese companies," said Quan
Guotong, an analyst with Beijing High-tech IPR Research
Institute.
(China Daily July 20, 2007)
