Led Apogee LLC v. Analog Devices — LED Driver Patent Case Dismissed in 17 Days
Led Apogee LLC brought a patent infringement action against semiconductor giant Analog Devices, Inc. in the Eastern District of Texas, asserting US6982527B2 — a patented method for driving light emitting diodes. The case closed voluntarily without prejudice just 17 days after filing, before Analog Devices entered any appearance.
A 17-day LED patent action in E.D. Tex. closed before it began
On 12 January 2024, Led Apogee LLC filed a patent infringement complaint against Analog Devices, Inc. in the Eastern District of Texas (Case No. 2:24-cv-00019), presided over by Chief Judge Rodney Gilstrap. The asserted patent, US6982527B2, covers a method for driving light emitting diodes — a foundational area of solid-state lighting control technology directly relevant to Analog Devices’ semiconductor and power management product lines.
On 29 January 2024 — just 17 days after filing — Led Apogee filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal without Prejudice under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(i). The court accepted and acknowledged the dismissal, closed the case, and ordered each party to bear its own costs. No defendant answer or appearance appears on the public docket, meaning the dismissal was filed unilaterally as of right under the Federal Rules.
The extreme brevity of this action is commercially notable. Dismissal within 17 days, before any defendant response, is consistent with a pre-suit licensing discussion that reached a rapid conclusion — or alternatively, a strategic recalibration by the plaintiff. The public record is silent on any settlement terms. Because the dismissal is without prejudice, Led Apogee retains the right to refile against Analog Devices on the same patent claims.
Filing to resolution in 17 days
17 days — among the shortest lifespans on record for E.D. Tex. patent cases
Voluntarily dismissed without prejudice — what the order means for both parties
Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(i): dismissal as of right before any response
Because Analog Devices had not yet filed an answer or motion for summary judgment, Led Apogee was entitled to dismiss unilaterally under FRCP 41(a)(1)(A)(i) — no court approval required. The court’s order simply accepted and acknowledged the dismissal. This procedural posture means the defendant had no opportunity to resist or attach conditions to the exit.
Plaintiff-controlled exitWithout prejudice: refiling remains an open option for Led Apogee
A dismissal ‘without prejudice’ means Led Apogee’s claims are not extinguished on the merits — the company retains the right to refile the same infringement claims against Analog Devices in the future. The public record does not disclose whether any licensing agreement was reached; the dismissal notice itself is silent on commercial terms. Practitioners should not infer a settlement solely from the fact of dismissal.
Claims preservedEach party bears its own costs — no fee-shifting triggered
The dismissal order specifies that each party bears its own costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees. This is the standard outcome under Rule 41 voluntary dismissals where no exceptional-case finding under 35 U.S.C. § 285 has been made. Analog Devices incurred whatever internal response costs arose in the 17-day window but is not entitled to recover them under this order.
No fee awardE.D. Tex. filing under Judge Gilstrap — a deliberate venue choice
The Eastern District of Texas, and Judge Gilstrap’s docket in particular, remains one of the most plaintiff-favoured patent venues in the United States. Filing here signals a plaintiff experienced in patent enforcement. The fact that the case closed before any substantive proceedings does not diminish the venue’s significance as a strategic signal about Led Apogee’s litigation posture and potential future enforcement activity.
Plaintiff-friendly venueFull party and counsel information
| Role | Name | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaintiff | Led Apogee, LLC | Company | LED patent licensing entity — holder of US6982527B2 (LED driving method)Search in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant | Analog Devices, Inc. | Company | Analog Devices, Inc. — global semiconductor company specialising in signal processing and power management ICsSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Isaac Phillip Rabicoff | Attorney | Counsel for Led Apogee, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Presiding judge | Judge Rodney Gilstrap | Chief Judge | Texas Eastern District Court — Chief JudgeSearch in Eureka ↗ |
Stipulation of dismissal — official text
The court’s order is purely administrative — it accepts the plaintiff’s unilateral notice under FRCP 41(a)(1)(A)(i) and formally closes the case. No merits finding was made; no claim was adjudicated. The ‘dismissed without prejudice’ language is critical: it preserves Led Apogee’s right to refile identical claims. The cost-bearing provision reflects the default rule, not a judicial assessment of either party’s conduct or the strength of the underlying patent.
US6982527B2 — Method for Driving Light Emitting Diodes
US6982527B2 (application number US10/844956) protects a method for driving light emitting diodes — a technical domain that encompasses current control, pulse-width modulation, and thermal management techniques used to power and regulate LEDs in consumer electronics, automotive lighting, industrial systems, and display backlighting. The patent issued as a B2 grant, indicating it underwent post-issuance correction or reexamination, which may affect the enforceability scope of specific claims.
For semiconductor companies, LED driver method patents carry broad potential exposure because the protected techniques may read on standard circuit architectures embedded in widely distributed ICs. Analog Devices’ power management and mixed-signal product lines make it a plausible infringement target. The assertion of this patent in E.D. Tex. — without any disclosed claim chart or product-specific allegations in the public docket — suggests the plaintiff may be relying on broad method claims applicable across multiple product families, a pattern typical of NPE enforcement campaigns.
Should your team run an FTO analysis against US6982527B2?
Any company designing, manufacturing, or integrating LED driver circuits — including IC makers, lighting system OEMs, automotive electronics suppliers, and display panel manufacturers — should assess exposure to US6982527B2. The method claims in this patent potentially reach products beyond dedicated LED driver ICs, extending to microcontrollers, power management units, and SoCs that include LED control functionality as a feature.
PatSnap Eureka’s FTO Search Agent can map the claim language of US6982527B2 against your product specifications, identify prior art that may support invalidity arguments, and flag continuation or divisional patents in the same family that could generate follow-on risk. Setting a claim-change monitor on this patent family is advisable given the active enforcement posture suggested by this filing.
Run a freedom-to-operate analysis on US6982527B2 to assess your product’s exposure
Run FTO in Eureka →Similar LED driver and semiconductor patent infringement cases in E.D. Tex.
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What this case signals for the LED driver and semiconductor IP landscape
A 17-day lifespan in E.D. Tex. rarely means the dispute is over — it often means it moved off-docket.
LED driver IP is under active assertion pressure from licensing entities
US6982527B2 targets a core function — driving LEDs — that sits inside countless semiconductor products. Any company making or selling LED driver ICs, power management chips with LED control functions, or integrated lighting controllers should treat this filing as an early signal of active enforcement activity in this space.
A without-prejudice dismissal is not clearance — monitor for refiling
Analog Devices and similarly positioned semiconductor firms should place US6982527B2 on a watch list. Without-prejudice dismissals in licensing-driven campaigns are frequently followed by refiling — either against the same defendant after negotiations stall, or against new targets across the same product category.
Led v Analog — key questions answered
Led Apogee LLC filed a patent infringement suit against Analog Devices, Inc. in the Eastern District of Texas on 12 January 2024, asserting US6982527B2. The case was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice by Led Apogee on 29 January 2024 — just 17 days after filing — before Analog Devices filed any response. Each party bears its own costs.
Dismissed without prejudice means Led Apogee’s claims were not decided on the merits and the company retains the right to refile the same infringement claims against Analog Devices in the future. It does not constitute a finding that the patent is invalid, not infringed, or unenforceable. The public record is silent on whether any licensing agreement was reached.
US6982527B2 is a US patent covering a method for driving light emitting diodes. It sits in the LED driver technology domain, which includes current control and modulation techniques used in consumer electronics, automotive lighting, and display systems. The application number is US10/844956. The B2 designation indicates the patent underwent post-issuance correction.
The Eastern District of Texas, and Judge Rodney Gilstrap’s docket specifically, is historically one of the most plaintiff-favourable patent venues in the US, offering predictable procedures and jury pools experienced with patent cases. Filing there is a deliberate strategic choice that typically signals a plaintiff with established patent enforcement experience.
No. The court’s dismissal order specifies that each party bears its own costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees. Because the case was dismissed voluntarily before Analog Devices filed any response, no exceptional-case fee-shifting under 35 U.S.C. § 285 was triggered. Analog Devices cannot recover any costs incurred during the 17-day period the case was open.
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