the lighting market as we extend our corporate momentum

Prior to joining Luminus Devices, Ward was President and Chief Operating Officer of EYE Lighting International of North America, where he led the company to profitability and growth as well as expanded market share. Before EYE Lighting, Ward served as General Manager of General Electric Company where he was responsible for developing global synergy in specialty lighting products serving niche segments. His previous positions include Managing Director, GE Lighting of India, Automotive Product General Manager of Quartz and Entertainment Product Manager. Ward received an M.B.A. from John Carroll University of Cleveland, Ohio and a B.S.B.A. from Clarion University of Clarion, Pennsylvania.Udi Meirav, who has served Luminus Devices as CEO since 2003, is being appointed to Executive Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors.The position of President and CEO of Luminus Devices is a tremendous opportunity to lead an innovative company with a very exciting future,” said Mr. Ward. “I look forward to advancing PhlatLight LEDs into the lighting market as we extend our corporate momentum and lead Luminus to the next phase of growth.

In affirming the ITC's interpretation, the Federal Circuit noted that "Epistar does not challenge the infringement determination under the [ITC's] claim construction." Thus, the ITC's ruling that Epistar infringes the ‘718 patent has now been confirmed on appeal. The Federal Circuit also upheld the ITC's decision that "Epistar (as a successor to UEC) may not contest validity of the '718 patent with respect to the UEC products that it inherited in the merger" between Epistar and UEC, but overturned the ITC's ruling that Epistar could not contest validity with respect to other products. Philips Lumileds remains confident that any further invalidity challenges by Epistar to the '718 Patent will be rejected. This confidence is supported by the rulings of U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken of the Northern District of California in an earlier case against UEC granting Philips Lumileds summary judgment on multiple different validity challenges to the '718 patent claims.

A change in the law after the ITC decision in this matter called into question the ITC's long-standing practice of issuing Limited Exclusion Orders that bar importation of downstream products manufactured by third parties not named in the case. The Federal Circuit has vacated the existing Limited Exclusion Order and remanded the case back to the ITC for further proceedings. Philips Lumileds had earlier filed a petition with the ITC requesting that the Limited Exclusion Order be converted into a General Exclusion Order that, even after recent changes in the law, could bar the same non-party downstream products covered by the original Exclusion Order.In addition to the ITC proceeding,YAHAM lighting has a pending patent infringement suit against Epistar in the U.S. District Court before Judge Wilken asserting infringement of not only the '718 patent, but also two other Philips Lumileds patents. The Federal Circuit's decision paves the way for Philips Lumileds' success in that pending dispute.