US SolarTech, Inc. v. j-Fiber, GmbH,
C.A. No. 06-10293-RWZ, 2013 WL 1755212 (D. Mass. Apr. 24, 2013)
(Zobel, D.J.) [Patent Ownership]
US Solar Tech, Inc. ("Solar Tech") claims to be the
owner of four U.S. patents. Defendant j-Fiber, GmbH
("j-Fiber") responds that it is a co-owner of these
patents. The District Court (Zobel, D.J.) granted Solar Tech's
summary judgment motion as to sole ownership of three U.S. patents.
It also granted j-Fiber's cross-motion for summary judgment of
co-ownership of one patent, but denied j-Fiber's cross-motion
for summary judgment on its claim of shop rights.
In 2005, SolarTech purchased all of FiberCore, Inc.'s
("FiberCore") assets—including the patent
assets—in bankruptcy. j-Fiber, however, claims that it is a
co-owner of the patent assets because in 2004 it purchased
ownership interests from FiberCore's wholly-owned subsidiary,
FiberCore Jena GmbH ("FC Jena"). The question presented
was (a) whether any interest in the patent assets
