Free Answer to Counterclaim - District Court of Delaware - Delaware

Case 1:07-cv-00752-GMS

Document 20

Filed 04/16/2008

Page 1 of 7

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE IN RE: REMBRANDT TECHNOLOGIES, LP : : PATENT LITIGATION : : ---------------------------------------------------------- : : MOTOROLA, INC., et al., : : Plaintiffs, : v. : : REMBRANDT TECHNOLOGIES, LP, : : Defendant. MDL DOCKET NO. 1:07-md-1848-GMS

--------------------------------------------------------------Civil Action No. 1:07-cv-0752-GMS

JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

THIRD-PARTY INTERVENOR PLAINTIFFS SHARP CORPORATION AND SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION'S ANSWER AND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES TO REMBRANDT TECHNOLOGIES, LP'S COUNTERCLAIM Third-Party Intervenor Plaintiffs Sharp Corporation and Sharp Electronics Corporation (together, "Sharp"), by way of an Answer and Affirmative Defenses to the Counterclaim1 of defendant Rembrandt Technologies, LP ("Rembrandt"), say: PARTIES 1. Sharp is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the

truth of the allegations contained in Counterclaim paragraph 1. 2. Sharp admits the allegations in Counterclaim paragraph 2.

1 Sharp notes that Rembrandt filed its Answer, Affirmative Defense and Counterclaim pleading in the 07-cv-752 and in the 07-md-1848 matters. However, Sharp had filed the Intervenor Complaint only in the 07-752 case, and it does not appear that the 07-752 matter is a member case in the MDL proceeding. Notwithstanding the fact that Sharp is filing this pleading in the 07-md-1848 matter, it reserves the right to argue that Rembrandt's filing of its pleading in 07md-1848 was improper.

Case 1:07-cv-00752-GMS

Document 20

Filed 04/16/2008

Page 2 of 7

3.

Sharp admits the allegations in Counterclaim paragraph 3. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

4.

Sharp admits that Rembrandt has sued for patent infringement, and need not

respond to Rembrandt's conclusion as to the applicable statutes alleged in Counterclaim paragraph 4. 5. Sharp admits that Rembrandt has sued for patent infringement, and need not

respond to Rembrandt's conclusion as to this Court's subject matter jurisdiction alleged in Counterclaim paragraph 5. 6. Sharp denies the allocations in Counterclaim paragraph 6, except that it admits it

has availed itself of the Court's jurisdiction herein and this Court has personal jurisdiction over Sharp in this action. 7. Sharp admits that venue is proper in this district. COUNT I 8. Sharp re-alleges and incorporates herein by reference the allegations stated in

paragraphs 1-7 of this Answer. 9. Sharp admits that the first page of U.S. Patent No. 5,243,627 (the " `627 Patent")

indicates that the `627 Patent is entitled "Signal Point Interleaving Technique." Sharp is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of the remaining allegations in Counterclaim paragraph 9.

2

Case 1:07-cv-00752-GMS

Document 20

Filed 04/16/2008

Page 3 of 7

10.

Sharp denies the allegations in Counterclaim paragraph 10, except it admits that

the `627 Patent was issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on September 7, 1993. 11. 12. Sharp denies the allegations in Counterclaim paragraph 11. Sharp denies the allegations in Counterclaim paragraph 12. FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Rembrandt's Counterclaim fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Rembrandt's Counterclaim is barred by the doctrine of estoppel. THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Rembrandt's Counterclaim is barred by the doctrine of laches. FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE Rembrandt's Counterclaim is barred by the doctrine of waiver. FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE The making, use, sale, offer for sale and/or importation of any Sharp apparatus, system, device, product or method does not infringe and has not in the past infringed any claim of the `627 Patent. SIXTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE The `627 Patent is invalid on the grounds that the purported invention fails to meet the conditions of patentability specified in 35 U.S.C. §1, et. seq. including, but not limited to, 35 U.S.C. §§102, 103 and 112. 3

Case 1:07-cv-00752-GMS

Document 20

Filed 04/16/2008

Page 4 of 7

SEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE On information and belief, Rembrandt's Counterclaim is barred by the existence of at least one license covering the technology at issue. PRAYER FOR RELIEF WHEREFORE, Sharp prays for an Order: 1. 2. and 3. appropriate. Date: April 16, 2008 /s/ Richard K. Herrmann Richard K. Herrmann (I.D. #405) Mary B. Matterer (I.D. #2696) Amy Arnott Quinlan (I.D. #3021) Morris James LLP 500 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1500 Wilmington, DE 19801-1494 (302) 888-6800 [email protected] _ Granting such other and further relief to Sharp as the Court may deem Dismissing Rembrandt's Counterclaim against Sharp with prejudice; Awarding Sharp its costs, including attorney's fees, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §285;

Of Counsel Gerald Levy Richard H. Brown Yukio Kashiba Jonathan B. Tropp Day Pitney LLP 7 Time Square New York, NY 10036-7311 (212) 297-5800 (212) 682-3485 (FAX) Attorneys for Defendants SHARP CORPORATION and SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION

4

Case 1:07-cv-00752-GMS

Document 20

Filed 04/16/2008

Page 5 of 7

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on the 16th day of April, 2008, a true copy of the foregoing was filed with the Clerk of the Court using CM/ECF and that the document is available for viewing and downloading from CM/ECF. I further certify that the within document was sent via email to:

Collins J. Seitz, Jr. Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP The Nemours Building 1007 N. Orange Street Wilmington, DE 19899 [email protected] Jack B. Blumenfeld Karen Jacobs Louden Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP 1201 North Market Street P.O. Box 1347 Wilmington, DE 19899 [email protected] [email protected] Rodger D. Smith II 1201 N. Market Street P.O. Box 1347 Wilmington, DE 19899-1347 (302) 658-9200 [email protected]

Doug Cawley McKool Smith 300 Crescent Court, Suite 1500 Dallas, TX 75201 [email protected] John W. Shaw Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor The Brandywine Building 1000 West Street, 17th Floor P.O. Box 391 Wilmington, DE 19899-0391 [email protected] Richard D Kirk Scott G. Wilcox Stephen B. Brauerman Bayard, PA 222 Delaware Avenue, Suite 900 P.O. Box 25130 Wilmington, DE 19899 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Case 1:07-cv-00752-GMS

Document 20

Filed 04/16/2008

Page 6 of 7

Fredrick L. Cottrell, III Kelly E. Farnan Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. One Rodney Square 920 North King Street Wilmington, DE 19801 [email protected] [email protected]

Josh A. Krevitt Charles J. Bourdreau Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 200 Park Avenue, 47th Floor New York, New York 10166-0193 [email protected] [email protected] Amanda J. Tessar Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 1801 California Street, Suite 4200 Denver, CO 80202-2642 [email protected]

Peter J. Toren Lawrence B. Goodwin Monica V. Bhattacharyya Stefan R. Stoyanov Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP 1633 Broadway New York, NY 10019 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] David Segal Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 3161 Michelson Drive Irvina, California 92612-4412 [email protected]

Mattew D. Powers Edward R. Reines Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP 201 Rewood Shores, CA 94065 [email protected] [email protected]

David S. Benyacar Daniel L. Reisner Kaye Scholer LLP 425 Park Avenue New York, New York 10022 [email protected] [email protected] Robert A. Van Nest Brian L. Ferrall Daralyn J.Durie Leo L. Lam Matthew M. Werdegar KEKER & VAN NEST LLP 710 Sansome Street San Francisco, CA 9411 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

2

Case 1:07-cv-00752-GMS

Document 20

Filed 04/16/2008

Page 7 of 7

John Desmarais Kirkland & Ellis LLP Citigroup Center 153 East 53rd Street New York, New York 10022 [email protected] Mitchell Stockwell Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP 110 Peachtree Street, N.E. Suite 2800 Atlanta, GA 30309 [email protected]

Eric R.Lamison Kirkland & Ellis LLP 555 California Street, Ste. 2700 San Francisco, CA 94104 [email protected] Bradford P. Lyerla Kevin D. Hogg Charles E. Juister Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP 6300 Sears Tower 233 South Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606-6357 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Date: April 16, 2008 /s/ Richard K. Herrmann Richard K. Herrmann (I.D. #405) Mary B. Matterer (I.D. #2696) Amy Arnott Quinlan (I.D. #3021) Morris James LLP 500 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1500 Wilmington, DE 19801-1494 (302) 888-6800 [email protected] _

3