Infac Wins Patent Dispute Against Dong Ah Hi-Tech

Court Invalidates Key Claims in Multiple Patents Held by Dong Ah Hi-Tech and Dong Ah Electric Components

(Source: http://www.infac.com:8080/ko)

Infac has emerged victorious in a patent dispute in South Korea, successfully invalidating key claims of five patents held by Dong Ah Hi-Tech and its affiliate, Dong Ah Electric Components. Of the five patents involved, four have been completely nullified.

In June 2023, the South Korean Patent Court rejected Dong Ah Hi-Tech's appeal in a lawsuit challenging an earlier decision by the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB). In August 2022, the IPTAB had ruled that three of Dong Ah’s patents were invalid. Dong Ah Hi-Tech contested the invalidation of two of those patents, but the Patent Court upheld the IPTAB’s decision. With Dong Ah Hi-Tech opting not to further challenge the ruling, the case concluded in Infac’s favor.

The three patents used by Dong Ah Hi-Tech in its lawsuit against Infac—KR1502381, KR1433755, and KR1341547, all related to variable speed actuators and electric parking brake actuators—have now been nullified. 

Dong Ah Hi-Tech's KR1502381 and KR1433755 patents, at the center of its patent invalidity reversal lawsuit, both pertain to variable speed actuator technology.

The '381 patent outlines a system where an actuator transmits motor rotation power to the output shaft through a power transmission unit. The system features multiple gears that convert and transmit rotational force. This patent applies to automotive parts like electronic parking brake systems, emphasizing a compact design and efficient power transmission. 

The '755 patent, on the other hand, focuses on a drive unit that supplies rotational power and a reduction gear mechanism that optimizes space utilization and minimizes power loss during gear shifts. The technology is designed to improve the spatial efficiency of drive components and enhance reduction efficiency in applications such as automobiles.

Infac also succeeded in invalidating two patents owned by Dong Ah Electric Components, a company closely associated with Dong Ah Hi-Tech. The patents in question—KR1185539 and KR1024690, both related to electric parking brake actuators—were invalidated by the IPTAB in August 2022. The '539 patent has since been fully canceled, while the '690 patent remains registered, though key claims, including claims 1, 3-4, and 6-9, have been invalidated.

The legal battle began in 2022 when Dong Ah Hi-Tech and Dong Ah Electric Components filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Infac in the Seoul Central District Court. With Infac’s successful invalidation of the core claims, the dispute concluded in a comprehensive victory for the company.

Figure of Dong Ah Hi-Tech's invalidated variable speed actuator technology patent (KR1502381) (Source: KIPRIS)