Heartland, Inc. v. Povolny Specialties, Inc. et al.
Infringement action filed 19 Jan 2023 in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota and closed 31 Oct 2023, with 2 patents asserted. Recorded basis of termination: case dismissed.
Case record
- Patents involved
- US10390400B1US9788391B1
- Case no.
- 0:23-cv-00150
- Verdict cause
- Infringement action
- Court
- D. Minn.
- Court level
- District Court
- Case region
- Minnesota
- Chief judge
- None recorded
- Trial level
- First instance
- Filed – Closed
- 19 Jan 2023 – 31 Oct 2023
- Duration
- 285 days
- Basis of termination
- Case Dismissed
- Products & marks
- Soft start circuitry for LED lighting devices with simultaneous dimming capability · Solid state lighting panel
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Soft start circuitry for LED lighting devices with simultaneous dimming capability
A soft start circuit device couples at the junction between a 0-10 volt DC dimmer and an LED driver. A first wire couples with the positive polarity dimmer output, and a second wire couples with the negative polarity dimmer output. A capsule provides electrical insulation and physical consolidation and isolation to the capsule interior, and the first and second wires each pass through the capsule wall into the capsule interior. A capacitor and resistor are retained in the capsule interior and are each electrically coupled in parallel across the first and second wires. A sealant fills the capsule interior. At least one indicium is affixed with each wire, to indicate proper polarity connection with the 0-10 volt DC dimmer output. The capsule may further comprise a generally cylindrical and light transmissive polycarbonate packaging tube, and first and second end caps. The sealant may also comprise a light transmissive silicone sealant.
- Legal status
- Active
- Granted
- 20 Aug 2019
- Earliest priority
- 3 Dec 2015
- Est. expiry
- 5 Dec 2036
- Validity challenges
- None recorded
- Licences recorded
- None recorded
- Inventors
- REDFIELD, BLAKE D.
- Classification
- H05B33/08F21V23/00F21V15/015H05B44/00F21Y115/10
- Examiner
- OWENS, DOUGLAS W
Solid state lighting panel
A solid state lighting panel sequentially energizes a plurality of LED lighting banks at the zero crossing points of the sinusoidal input line voltage. Each LED lighting bank is provided with a soft start circuit to ramp up the luminous intensity gradually. The energizing of one LED lighting bank at a time at zero cross, in combination with soft start ramp, keeps inrush spikes below the ultimate steady state operating current level. The lighting panel is further provided with line-in and line-out surge protection, along with a specific arrangement of terminals within a terminal block, the provision of surge protectors therein, the use of optically isolated solid state relays, and a plurality of well-placed circuit breakers to provide enhanced surge tolerance.
- Legal status
- Active
- Granted
- 10 Oct 2017
- Earliest priority
- 11 Jan 2016
- Est. expiry
- 5 Dec 2036
- Validity challenges
- None recorded
- Licences recorded
- None recorded
- Inventors
- REDFIELD, BLAKE D.
- Classification
- H05B33/00H05B33/08H03K17/94H05B44/00H05B45/50
- Examiner
- KING, MONICA C
Parties of record
Heartland, Inc.
- Core tech
- H05B33/08F21V23/00F21V15/015H05B44/00
- Counsel
- Lee B Bennin · Loren L. Hansen
- Firm
- Lathrop Gpm LLP
Povolny Specialties, Inc.
- Core tech
- Not recorded
- Counsel
- Justice Ericson Lindell
- Firm
- Greenstein Sellers PLLC
- Also named
- Design Electric, Inc.
Counsel of record
| Attorney | For | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Lee B Bennin | Heartland, Inc. | Plaintiff |
| Loren L. Hansen | Heartland, Inc. | Plaintiff |
| Justice Ericson Lindell | Povolny Specialties, Inc. | Defendant |
Basis of termination
From the record · verbatim“Based on the foregoing, and all of the files, records, and proceedings herein, IT IS ORDERED THAT: 1. Defendant Design Electric, Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 17] is GRANTED; 2. Defendant Povolny Specialties, Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 31] is GRANTED; 3. Count III of Povolny Specialties, Inc.’s Verified Answer and Counterclaim [ECF No. 8] is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE; and 4. Plaintiff Heartland, Inc.’s Complaint [ECF No. 1] is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
Case 0:23-cv-00150 · D. Minn. · closed 31 October 2023
Related cases
Three questions this record usually leads to. Each one runs against the full litigation and patent corpus, and cites what it finds.
Frequently asked questions
What is case 0:23-cv-00150?
0:23-cv-00150 is a patent infringement action brought by Heartland, Inc. against Povolny Specialties, Inc., filed on 19 Jan 2023 in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The case closed on 31 October 2023.
Which patents were asserted in 0:23-cv-00150?
US10390400B1 (“Soft start circuitry for LED lighting devices with simultaneous dimming capability”), assigned to HEARTLAND, INC., currently active; US9788391B1 (“Solid state lighting panel”), assigned to HEARTLAND, INC., currently active. The record also lists Soft start circuitry for LED lighting devices with simultaneous dimming capability and Solid state lighting panel.
How was case 0:23-cv-00150 terminated?
The recorded basis of termination is case dismissed. The termination text reads: “Based on the foregoing, and all of the files, records, and proceedings herein, IT IS ORDERED THAT: 1. Defendant Design Electric, Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 17] is GRANTED; 2. Defendant Povolny Specialties, Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 31] is GRANTED; 3. Count III of Povolny Specialties, Inc.’s Verified Answer and Counterclaim [ECF No. 8] is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE; and 4. Plaintiff Heartland, Inc.’s Complaint [ECF No. 1] is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
What does dismissal with prejudice mean?
A dismissal with prejudice permanently ends the claims that were filed, so the same claims cannot be brought again against that defendant. It is the usual form when the parties have settled.
How long did case 0:23-cv-00150 take?
285 calendar days, from filing on 19 Jan 2023 to closure on 31 October 2023.
Who were the attorneys and the judge in 0:23-cv-00150?
Lee B Bennin and Loren L. Hansen are recorded as counsel for plaintiff Heartland. Justice Ericson Lindell appears for defendant Povolny Specialties.
Disclaimer. This page reproduces publicly available court docket data for case 0:23-cv-00150 and is provided for general information and reference only. It is not legal advice and must not be relied upon as such.
Docket data has limits. Records are drawn from a snapshot and may lag the live docket. Sealed filings, amended complaints, counterclaims and post-closure motions may not be reflected. Party names, attorney names and firm affiliations are reproduced as recorded and may contain omissions. Where a field is absent from the record, this page marks it as not recorded rather than inferring a value.
No characterisation of the parties or the outcome. This page reports what the record contains. Nothing here should be read as an assertion that any party infringed, that any patent is valid or invalid, that any settlement occurred, or that any party prevailed.
No FTO or validity opinion. Nothing on this page constitutes a freedom-to-operate, novelty, validity or infringement opinion. Any decision touching a live patent dispute should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent counsel.