Federal Circuit Affirms International Trade Commission Ruling in Favor of Leviton

Prohibits Importation of GFCIs that Infringe Leviton's Intellectual Property

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Aug 15, 2013, 02:01 ET

MELVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Leviton is pleased to announce on August 13, 2013 the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the International Trade Commission's (ITC) April 2012 general exclusion order, "prohibiting the unlicensed importation of infringing ground fault circuit interrupters and products containing same," inhibiting infringement on Leviton's U.S. Patent No. 7,737,809.

"Leviton is pleased with the ruling and backing of the ITC's general exclusion order as it ultimately validates the continued support to end the unlicensed importation of infringing GFCIs," said Meir Blonder, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Leviton. "Leviton has worked for this outcome for many years, because it is important that both commercial and residential consumers be confident that the GFCIs available in the market are legitimate, lawful product."

Blonder continued, "While we believe the ITC erred as a matter of law with respect to two claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,764,151, affirmance by the Federal Circuit does not affect the GEO and the '151 patent remains valid as a matter of law.'"

Leviton offers a wide variety of GFCI devices to provide protection from electrical incidents in homes, offices, construction sites or anywhere electrical products are in damp or wet locations.

All Leviton GFCI products conform to the latest industry standards as outlined by OSHA, UL, CSA, NEC and others.

About Leviton
Leviton is the smart choice, providing the most comprehensive range of solutions to meet the needs of today's residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Leveraging more than a century of experience, Leviton helps customers create sustainable, intelligent environments through its electrical wiring devices, network and data center connectivity solutions, and lighting energy management systems. From switches and receptacles, to daylight harvesting controls, networking systems, and equipment for charging electric vehicles, Leviton solutions help customers achieve savings in energy, time and cost, all while enhancing safety. For more information, visit www.leviton.com, http://www.facebook.com/leviton, http://twitter.com/leviton or http://www.youtube.com/Levitonmfg.

SOURCE Leviton