Overview
- The U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board issued final written decisions Friday that invalidate all claims in Trina’s TOPCon patents 9,722,104 and 10,230,009.
- Trina had accused Canadian Solar and Runergy of infringement, and the rulings mean both companies are not infringing under U.S. law.
- TOPCon is a tunnel oxide passivated contact design that raises silicon solar cell efficiency, which is why control of these patents matters to manufacturers.
- Trina’s related Section 337 complaint at the U.S. International Trade Commission ended earlier this year without an import ban.
- Other proceedings continue, including Trina’s China lawsuit seeking $147 million and a separate First Solar ITC investigation into several silicon competitors.