China's General Protecht Routs US Leviton

After three years of battles, China's General Protecht Group (once known as Zhejiang Dongzheng Electrical and hereinafter referred to as General Protecht) won the patent litigation provoked by US electrical giant Leviton.

In April 2004, Leviton brought suits against four of General Protecht's important clients in the district courts of New Mexico, Florida and California. General Protecht decided to get involved in the lawsuits. Choosing the Federal Court in New Mexico as the chief court, General Protecht demanded that all cases be transferred to New Mexico and succeeded. On March 28th, 2005, Markman hearing was held in the Federal Court of New Mexico. In June 2006, the court issued the Markman Order, maintaining that General Protecht's products did not infringe upon Leviton's patent rights.

On July 10, 2007, Federal District of New Mexico Judge James Browning awarded summary judgment of non-infringement, in favor of General Protecht GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupters) devices at issue do not infringe upon Leviton's asserted patent 6246558 .

According to the 28-page-long summary judgment, the court accepted the claims of defendant General Protecht that its products are beyond the scope of Leviton's patent. In other words, General Protecht's products do not violate Leviton's patent rights.