SAN JOSE, Calif. – Velodyne Lidar, Inc. today announced that the Company is filing a patent infringement complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) against Ouster, Inc., requesting that the Commission institute an investigation under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Velodyne also filed a patent infringement complaint against Ouster in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeking an injunction and monetary damages.
The company’s complaint asks the ITC to investigate unlawful imports of Ouster lidar sensors that are alleged to infringe it’s patents relating to lidar technologies (U.S. Patents 7,969,558 and 9,983,297). Velodyne’s complaint requests that the ITC issue a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order against Ouster and Ouster’s contract manufacturer, to bar the importation into the United States of Ouster’s rotational lidar devices, components, and products that are alleged to infringe Velodyne’s patents.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the patentability of all challenged claims in the company’s pioneering 7,969,558 patent. The ‘558 patent relates to a novel lidar-based 3D point cloud measuring system used in multiple industries and applications. Velodyne is focused on advancing its strong smart vision products to meet the large market needs of robotics, industrial, intelligent infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and Velodyne’s patent portfolio protects the substantial investment it is making in these advances.
“Velodyne invented rotational lidar and our Company spends significant financial and human resources on research and development to advance smart vision technology,” said Dr. Ted Tewksbury, CEO, Velodyne Lidar. “Velodyne has a history of vigorously protecting this investment by taking strong and successful legal action against companies that infringe on our intellectual property and this action is no different.”
