A federal jury awarded ViaSat $283 million in its patent...
A federal jury awarded ViaSat $283 million in its patent infringement and breach of contract case against Space Systems Loral (SS/L). In U.S. District Court in San Diego, a jury said SS/L infringed three patents relating to the Jupiter-1 satellite,…
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a court document said. The jury also said SS/L breached one or more of its contracts with ViaSat, it said. SS/L and its former parent company Loral said they plan to appeal. In 2008, ViaSat selected SS/L to manufacture ViaSat-1, and the award was contingent on SS/L’s “continued agreement to keep ViaSat’s revolutionary design and technology confidential,” said ViaSat’s complaint. “SS/L didn’t keep the technology confidential.” ViaSat filed the complaint after SS/L told ViaSat that it also was building the Jupiter-1 satellite for Hughes (CD Feb 6/12 p4). “Jupiter’s design is almost identical to ViaSat-1,” ViaSat said. Loral believes that SS/L’s conduct “was consistent with, and in due regard for, all applicable and valid intellectual property rights of ViaSat and that SS/L did not breach any contracts,” said Loral Vice Chairman Michael Targoff in a news release Thursday (http://bit.ly/1k1IGCZ). “SSL has strong grounds for a reversal of the jury verdict, which we believe will ultimately result in vindication of our position.” Loral is obligated to indemnify SS/L for damages in the case after a “non-appealable” judgment has been entered, he said. ViaSat’s request for a permanent injunction prohibiting SS/L from further infringement is still pending, ViaSat said in a news release (http://bit.ly/1rtDlZK). If the case is appealed, an injunction would appear less likely, said Raymond James analyst Chris Quilty in a research note. If the injunction is granted, it could impact up to four satellites under construction at SS/L, Quilty said. Hearing for post-trial motions is set for July 22, the jury verdict said.