Toyota Patent Dispute
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From: Huntsville, AL
Toyota Patent Dispute
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/200710...t-7318940.html
Interesting and something I wasn't aware of before. I wonder what the patent covers?
LATE NOTE:
The patent dispute involves:
The patent is 5,343,970 and involves:
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5343970-claims.html
"11. A hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
two or more drive wheels receiving torque for propelling said vehicle from an output shaft, and a power unit supplying drive torque to said output shaft, said power unit comprising:
a controllable torque transfer unit adapted to receive torque from two sources and transfer said torque to said output shaft;
an engine adapted to consume combustible fuel and supply torque to said torque transfer unit;
an AC electric motor adapted to receive electric energy from a battery and supply torque to said torque transfer unit, said motor being further adapted to be operable as a generator;
a battery for supply of stored electric energy to said motor, and for receiving and storing electric energy from said motor when operated as a generator;
solid state switching means for converting DC supplied by said battery to AC for supply to said electric motor, and for rectifying AC generated by said motor when operated in a regenerative mode to provide DC to charge said battery; and
a controller for controlling the operation of said engine, said electric motor, said solid state switching means, and said torque transfer unit, such that said torque transfer unit receives torque from either or both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor and transmits torque therefrom to said drive wheels by way of said output shaft, and for controlling the relative contributions of the internal combustion engine and electric motor to the torque driving the wheels. "
"39. The vehicle of claim 38, wherein said battery supplies DC of less than about 75 amperes to said solid-state switching network, said network comprising a plurality of semiconductor switching elements, said controller controlling said elements to generate AC of appropriate characteristics. "
Bob Wilson
WASHINGTON, Oct 18 - A U.S. appeals court upheld part of Paice LLC's lawsuit against Toyota Motor Corp for patent infringement on Thursday but told the lower court to reconsider damages of $25 per infringing car sold.
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LATE NOTE:
The patent dispute involves:
In December 2005, the case was tried to a jury. The jury found that Defendants’ accused vehicles infringed claims 11 and 39 of the ‘970 patent under the doctrine of equivalents, but found no further infringement. The jury did not find Defendants’ infringement was willful.
(Judge David Folsom, "Case 2:04-cv-00211-DF Document 227," 8/16/2006)The patent is 5,343,970 and involves:
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5343970-claims.html
"11. A hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
two or more drive wheels receiving torque for propelling said vehicle from an output shaft, and a power unit supplying drive torque to said output shaft, said power unit comprising:
a controllable torque transfer unit adapted to receive torque from two sources and transfer said torque to said output shaft;
an engine adapted to consume combustible fuel and supply torque to said torque transfer unit;
an AC electric motor adapted to receive electric energy from a battery and supply torque to said torque transfer unit, said motor being further adapted to be operable as a generator;
a battery for supply of stored electric energy to said motor, and for receiving and storing electric energy from said motor when operated as a generator;
solid state switching means for converting DC supplied by said battery to AC for supply to said electric motor, and for rectifying AC generated by said motor when operated in a regenerative mode to provide DC to charge said battery; and
a controller for controlling the operation of said engine, said electric motor, said solid state switching means, and said torque transfer unit, such that said torque transfer unit receives torque from either or both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor and transmits torque therefrom to said drive wheels by way of said output shaft, and for controlling the relative contributions of the internal combustion engine and electric motor to the torque driving the wheels. "
"39. The vehicle of claim 38, wherein said battery supplies DC of less than about 75 amperes to said solid-state switching network, said network comprising a plurality of semiconductor switching elements, said controller controlling said elements to generate AC of appropriate characteristics. "
Bob Wilson
Last edited by bwilson4web; Oct 19, 2007 at 06:41 AM. Reason: Adding the patent information
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