Certain Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (“CCFL”) Inverter Circuits ...

B. Level of Skill in the Art.
PUBLIC VERSION
Claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning as understood by a person
of ordinary skill in the art. Phillips, 415 F.3d at 1312-13.
The parties essentially agree that the relevant technological field is DC-to-AC power
inverter circuits for cold cathode fluorescent lamps. (MFF70; COMFF 70; ROMFF 70.)
While Staff, ASUS, MPS and Microsemi set forth differing definitions in the briefing as
to the level of skill held by a person of ordinary skill in the art of designing power inverter
circuits at the time of the invention of the '382 patent, Staffs definition set forth in the proposed
fact findings is undisputed. (RBr. at 93; MBr. at 28-29; SBr. at 70.) The parties agree that "[a]
person of ordinary skill in the art to which the '382 patent pertains would have had a bachelor's
degree in electrical engineering with at least one year of practical experience, or a master's
degree with studies in power electronics." (SFF 227 (undisputed); CORFF 4.1.) Therefore, the
Administrative Law Judge finds that the disputed claim terms in this Investigation are to be
construed in accordance with this definition of a person of ordinary skill.
C. The Disputed Claim Terms of the '382 Patent and Their Proper Construction.
02 Micro is asserting some or all of claims 1,2,4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 14 of the '382 patent
against respondents. However, only portions of the language of independent claims 1 and 8 are
disputed.
1. Claim 1, Portion of Element 'f', and Claim 8, Portion of Element 'h'-"a
timer circuit . .. for providing a time-out sequence of a predetermined
duration"
The first disputed claim term is quoted by the parties as follows: "a timer circuit ... for
providing a time-out sequence of a predetermined duration[.]"
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