RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. QUANTA COMPUTER INC., QUANTA STORAGE, INC., QUANTA COMPUTER USA, INC., and NU TECHNOLOGY, INC., Defendants-Appellees, and BUSINESS LINE DATA, PHILIPS OPTICAL STORAGE, and PHILIPS TAIWAN, LTD., Defendants., 550 F.3d 1325

Summary

Recordable optical discs and disc drives allowed a user to permanently record data. One patent was directed to methods and apparatuses for generating a particular pulse sequence for recording information to a rewritable optical disc. A second was directed to methods and apparatuses for formatting rewritable optical discs, and the third was directed to methods of writing data to optical discs in multiple sessions. The district court found neither alleged infringer contributorily infringed under 35 U.S.C.S. § 271(c) because all of the devices sold had substantial noninfringing uses, nor actively induced infringement under 35 U.S.C.S. § 271(b) for lack of evidence of the alleged infringer's intent. The court of appeals found that genuine issues of material fact were raised as to the latter two patents. Under MGM v. Grokster, a component specially adapted for use in the patented process and with no substantial noninfringing use, could plainly be good for nothing else but infringement of ...