D Del finds Mattel/Fisher did not infringe LeapFrog patent

LeapFrog sued Mattel unit Fisher-Price in October 2003, alleging that its PowerTouch toy infringed claims of a patent related to LeapPad electronic books, but on March 30, 2006 U.S. District Judge Gregory M. Sleet of D. Delaware said Fisher-Price hadn't infringed.

LeapFrog had asserted that Fisher-Price's products were within the scope of patent claims embodied in LeapPad books that lets children press the letters of a word to hear how they sound. LeapFrog sought $58 million in damages. El Segundo, CA-based Mattel said that its PowerTouch books used different technology and that the LeapFrog patent was invalid.

RTT News reported: Commenting on the ruling, LeapFrog CEO Tom Kalinske, said, "Technology-based patent litigation is very complex and challenging. Nonetheless, we will continue to defend our intellectual property rights in the future."

A press release stated: "We are pleased that after a full hearing the Court found in our favor," said Neil Friedman, President of Mattel Brands. "As a company that invests significantly in the development of innovative products and intellectual property, we respect the intellectual property rights of others and conduct our business with the utmost integrity."

Reuters reported: Toy maker Mattel Inc. on March 31 said a federal court in Delaware ruled it did not infringe a patent held by LeapFrog Enterprises and that the claim in question was invalid.