Eugene Technology Wins Partial Patent Victory Against Kokusai

Korean Patent Tribunal Invalidates Some Claims, Upholds Others

(Source: https://www.kokusai-electric.com/en/company)

By PatenTrip

Eugene Technology Co. Ltd., a South Korean semiconductor equipment manufacturer, has successfully invalidated portions of a patent held by Japanese rival Kokusai Electric. The patent in question is tied to an ongoing infringement lawsuit that Kokusai Electric filed against Eugene Technology earlier this year.

In mid-December 2024, the Korean Intellectual Property Tribunal (KIPT) issued a decision partially invalidating claims in Kokusai Electric's South Korean patent titled "Substrate Processing Apparatus and Method of Manufacturing Semiconductor Device" (KR1037961). The tribunal ruled that some of the claims challenged by Eugene Technology lack validity. However, other claims were upheld.

Eugene Technology initiated the invalidation proceedings in April 2024, targeting claims 2–18 and 20 of the patent. While some of its arguments were successful, the KIPT dismissed others. The ruling opens the door for both parties to appeal to the Patent Court of Korea. Eugene Technology may seek to invalidate additional claims, while Kokusai Electric could argue for the reinstatement of the invalidated claims.

The dispute originates from a February 2024 lawsuit filed by Kokusai Electric and its South Korean subsidiary, Kook Je Electric Korea, in the Seoul Central District Court. The companies allege that Eugene Technology infringed on four patents related to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The contested patents were registered across multiple jurisdictions, including South Korea, the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and China, between 2011 and 2022.

Kook Je Electric Korea, established in 1993, is the sole licensee in South Korea for the patents used in the lawsuit by Kokusai Electric. The company operates its headquarters and production facilities in Cheonan, with customer support offices in Pyeongtaek and Icheon.

Kokusai Electric, a major Japanese semiconductor equipment supplier, went public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in October 2023.

By PatenTrip