Korean battery maker secures licensing deal after three court victories in Germany; 'principle of rewarding technological innovation confirmed'
LG Energy Solution has brought its patent dispute with Chinese battery manufacturer Xinwangda to a close, capping a two-year legal battle with a licensing agreement after a string of court victories.
LG Energy Solution, Panasonic Energy and Xinwangda announced Thursday in a joint statement that they had signed a licensing agreement, under which both sides would withdraw all pending legal proceedings in Germany, China and South Korea. Tulip Innovation, a patent licensing management firm representing LG Energy Solution and Panasonic's patent portfolios, said the deal "resolves all issues" related to battery technology involving LG Energy Solution, Panasonic Energy and Xinwangda, including matters concerning Xinwangda's customers.
As a result, LG Energy Solution is expected to withdraw its requests in South Korea for unfair trade investigations into vehicles equipped with Xinwangda batteries, including the Volvo Korea EX30 and the Renault Grand Koleos.
The parties said all terms of the agreement would remain confidential and declined to disclose further details.
The settlement is widely seen as a victory for LG Energy Solution in the patent dispute. The company had filed suit after accusing Xinwangda and other latecomers of using its proprietary technology without proper licensing agreements.
LG Energy Solution had sued Xinwangda for infringing multiple strategic patents, including an electrode assembly structure patent (EP 2378595 B1). Last year, a German court ordered a sales ban on batteries incorporating the technology, along with the recall and destruction of remaining inventory and damages. The company went on to secure sales injunctions from German courts on two additional European patents, winning three rulings in total.
eyre@heraldcorp.com
