Only 11 days after oral arguments, the Federal Circuit summarily affirmed the patent judgment from the Eastern District of Texas in favor of our client LC Eldridge Sales Co., Ltd., a respected oilfield supplier. Defendants Jurong Shipyard (Singapore) and U.S. drillers Atwood Oceanics and Seadrill had sought to overturn the judgment by challenging the trial judge’s ruling on claim construction, arguing that it was over broad and not supported by the patent specs, and his MSJ ruling that drilling rigs operating in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico are subject to U.S. patent law. They also challenged the evidence supporting the jury findings of willful infringement, no invalidity, and full lost-profits damages. This affirmance rejects all of their challenges.
The ’828 patent covered Eldridge’s invention that solved a longstanding problem on offshore drilling rigs caused by toxic exhaust fumes from large diesel engines on the rigs. The patent represents a valuable part of Eldridge’s business plans.
Chris Johnson argued the case on July 6, 2015, and the decision was issued July 17, 2015. He was assisted by Eric Chenoweth, Marc Tabolsky, and Tom Morrow.