Lutron Sues Leviton Over Alleged Infringement Of Patents

March 30, 2007
Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg, Pa., said it filed a federal court complaint and a complaint with the International Trade Commission against Leviton Manufacturing Co., Little Neck, N.Y.

Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg, Pa., said it filed a federal court complaint and a complaint with the International Trade Commission against Leviton Manufacturing Co., Little Neck, N.Y., alleging infringement of Lutron patents covering “a wide spectrum of proprietary Lutron lighting control and wireless technology” and the alleged sale of products made to look like Lutron’s Maestro dimmers.

The complaints were filed with the International Trade Commission and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Leviton disputes the patent infringement lawsuit, saying it does not willfully infringe on any companies’ patents.

The lighting control products accused of infringement include certain Vizia™ and Acenti™ dimmers made by Leviton, as well as the IlluminEssence™ dimmer and switch which are made exclusively by Leviton for Monster Central Control Systems.

In the ITC complaint, Lutron charges that Leviton is importing into the United States lighting control products made in Mexico and China that infringe the following United States patents held by Lutron: U.S. Patent No. 5,637,930, entitled “Wall-Mountable Switch & Dimmer”; U.S. Patent No. 5,248,919, entitled “Lighting Control Device”; U.S. Patent No. 5,982,103, entitled “Compact Radio Frequency Transmitting and Receiving Antenna and Control Device Employing Same”; and U.S. Patent No. 5,905,442, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Controlling and Determining the Status of Electrical Devices from Remote Locations.”

Lutron’s federal court complaint requests that Leviton be enjoined from further infringement of the same four patents listed above and that Leviton be ordered to pay damages for willful infringement of those patents, as well as U.S. Patent No. 4,797,599, entitled “Power Control Circuit with Phase Controlled Signal Input.”

The federal court complaint also alleges that Leviton has engaged in other forms of infringement of Lutron’s intellectual property and in other forms of unfair competition, Lutron said.

Leviton said it is aware of Lutron’s filings. “The filing came with no warning or prior communication by Lutron that they had concerns with our products,” Leviton said. “We obviously will have our lawyers look very carefully at the allegations and respond accordingly. Meanwhile, we would like your readers and the public at large to know that Leviton takes its position as an industry leader very seriously and we do not willfully infringe on any companies’ patents.”