EchoStar/Hughes lose patent row
June 27, 2019
By Chris Forrester
A Federal appeals court has ruled that a previous $21 million patent award against EchoStar subsidiary Hughes Network Systems, and in favour of Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems, is valid and can stand.
Reportedly, the Court said there was substantial evidence to find the original Texas jury’s verdict in August 2017 that satellite-based high-speed Internet and broadband services sold by Hughes infringed the Israeli patents.
Based in Israel, Elbit Systems is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of defence, homeland security, and commercial programs throughout the world. US Patent No. 6,240,073 is owned by Elbit Systems subsidiary, Elbit Systems Land &C4I Ltd, and exclusively licensed to Elbit Systems of America, LLC, both of which were plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
The original case is Elbit Systems of America LLC et al. v. Hughes Network Systems LLC, case 2:15-cv-00037, in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.