LONGi problems 'clarification' on Q CELLS license disagreement

• Solar Module Super League (SMSL) participant LONGi has issued an explanation pertaining to current patent invalidation procedures between it and Hanwha Q CELLS, insisting no legal judgements have been passed.

Recently reports emerged suggesting that Q CELLS had won two separate patent procedures in China, nevertheless LONGi has actually currently disputed these stories.

The instances connect to 2 particular licenses had by Hanwha, one relating to an approach of solar cell manufacturing making use of a surface-passivating dielectric double layer as well as an additional connecting to semiconductor device as well as its technique of fabrication, and also LONGi claimed it asked for that CNIPA's Patent Re-examination Board proclaim those license civil liberties invalid in proceedings introduced this summer.

Previously this month, the CNIPA released decisions proclaiming a partial invalidation of those licenses, deeming that the majority of those license cases had actually been revoked or amended by the patentee, in this case Hanwha Q CELLS.

LONGi kept in mind, however, that the CNIPA's invalidation procedure, as opposed to constituting an official claim, acts as a management evaluation to figure out whether a license authorised in China abide by patent regulation demands. Thus, no judgement regarding whether a patent has actually been infringed has occurred.

LONGi even more indicated preliminary process from the European Patent Office, which last month suggested a variety of claims on the contested patents did not satisfy demands associating with their lawful legitimacy.

LONGi firmly insisted there is no existing patent violation lawsuits or claim in between the two companies in China, yet said it would certainly remain to submit invalidation proecdures versus any kind of continuing to be claims relating to the patents in order to "protect against the potential initiation of unnecessary patent infringement lawsuits".

"As a leading global renewable resource firm, LONGi is dedicated to the advancement as well as application of solar modern technologies and has actually constantly attached fantastic relevance to technical innovation in addition to valuing IPR defense," LONGi claimed in a statement.