LKI Loses Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against PhotoScribe, GIA
March 16, 08
PhotoScribe Technologies announced that it has prevailed in a patent infringement lawsuit brought against it and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) by diamond distributor Lazare Kaplan International. A jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled March 7 that PhotoScribe and GIA do not infringe on any of the 10 patent claims asserted by Lazare Kaplan. In a release, PhotoScribe said Lazare Kaplan had alleged infringement of two patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,476,351 and 7,010,938 with respect to diamond laser inscription equipment and methods. Additionally, the jury invalidated one of the claims of the ‘351 Lazare Kaplan patent. Lazare Kaplan sued PhotoScribe in May 2006 and GIA in July of 2007. Issues with respect to the enforceability of Lazare Kaplan’s patents remain outstanding. “We are very pleased with the jury’s verdict,” said PhotoScribe President and CEO David Benderly. PhotoScribe is the world’s largest manufacturer of diamond laser inscription equipment and holds seven patents relating to diamond marking.