GUANGZHOU, China – Guangdong High People's Court issued a ruling recently in favor of Melville, N.Y.-based Leviton, which had been sued for patent infringement by Tongling Technology Group, now known as General Protecht Group. The ruling rejected Tongling's appeal and affirmed the judgment of the Guangzhou Intermediate Court, which earlier this year ruled in Leviton's favor and dismissed a patent infringement suit brought against Leviton's Dongguan-based subsidiary, Leviton Electronic Co., Ltd.
China-based General Protecht originally filed the lawsuit against Leviton Electronic Co, Ltd. in 2006, claiming that Leviton GFCI products infringed on its design patent for 20 Amp GFCIs.
Leviton countered that stance, noting that the design in question was related to a standard GFCI design that had been available to the public for decades.
On September 2, 2009, the Beijing High People's Court determined that General Protecht had no right to the patent.
"We are very pleased with our experience before the judiciary for properly and fairly applying the law which led to a complete vindication of our Chinese subsidiary," said Meir Blonder, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel. "The favorable decision on appeal brings this matter to a close."
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