EPC/Innoscience patent battle continues
The complicated patent battle between US GaN company Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) and Chinese GaN firm Innoscience continues, with both parties claiming success in recent rulings.
EPC says that decision on the 18th March 2025 by the United States Patent Office (USPTO), issued in IPR2023-01381, has “strengthened its ’294 patent by adding two new patent claims that are fundamental to commercial enhancement-mode GaN devices.”
But the USPTO decision also cancelled two claims that were the basis for a US International Trade Commission’s (ITC) infringement decision against Innoscience,
Innoscience has claimed ultimate victory in this litigation, saying “the USPTO issued the final decision finding all challenged claims of EPC’s US Patent No.8,350,294 ['294] are invalid and should be cancelled.” Adding: “This decision removes the entire foundation of EPC’s false patent infringement claim against Innoscience and marks that Innoscience has achieved a complete victory in the two-year long meritless patent war launched by EPC.”
With the win at the USPTO, Innoscience says it has "knocked out the only remaining patent in the ITC case and proved that EPC’s allegations are completely unfounded. Innoscience is ready to dust off the discord fabricated by EPC and focus its effort on developing and providing top-notch GaN-based power solutions for its customers worldwide.”
Meanwhile, EPC says it will appeal the USPTO’s cancellation of its claims, adding, that "historically, EPC’s patents have been upheld in multiple jurisdictions, including both the US and China, reinforcing EPC’s expectation that the final outcome will ultimately be in its favour.”
EPC continues to benefit from a ruling by the US ITC a couple of months ago, which previously confirmed that Innoscience infringed EPC’s patent. As a result, the ITC issued a limited exclusion order barring the importation of infringing Innoscience products into the United States. That ban remains in full effect and will continue to be enforced.
“The ITC’s ruling was issued after a rigorous investigation and affirms EPC’s rightful ownership of its patented technology. The two new patent claims granted to EPC by the USPTO also form the basis for future infringement claims against Innoscience,” says EPC.
EPC filed the initial lawsuit against Innoscience in the ITC in May 2023, alleging infringement of its 8,404,508 and 8,350,294 patents. Innoscience then challenged the validity of the EPC US patents and the counterpart patents in China, and the wrangling has continued (to read more of the patent background, click here). This latest episode of litigation suggests there is still no end in sight.
