SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 8, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA)(NASDAQ: SPWRB) and SunLink Corporation today announced the two companies have settled a patent infringement case brought by SunPower before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. SunPower brought the lawsuit against SunLink in February 2008 asserting infringement of SunPower's patent rights covering its lightweight rooftop mounting products, SunPower® PowerGuard® and the SunPower® T10 Solar Roof Tile.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the specifics of which are confidential, SunLink has acknowledged the infringement of SunLink's MMS rooftop solar product as well as the validity and enforceability of SunPower's patent rights. For confidential consideration provided under the settlement, SunLink has received a license to SunPower's infringed patents.
"SunPower has a long history of developing industry-leading technology and we will take actions necessary to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights," said SunPower CEO Tom Werner. "We are glad to achieve a resolution to this lawsuit consistent with this objective."
"We are happy to bring this litigation to a close with an agreement that is not only beneficial to both parties, but also protects our current and future customers," said SunLink CEO Christopher Tilley. "With these licenses, we continue to add to SunLink's IP portfolio and are looking forward to introducing new, innovative photovoltaic mounting solutions to the market soon."
SunPower holds more than 120 patents for its innovative solar technology, including the world's most efficient solar cell and the recently launched SunPower® T5 Solar Roof Tile.
About SunPower
Founded in 1985, SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA)(NASDAQ: SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet's most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.
About SunLink
SunLink Inc, based in San Rafael, CA, offers the solar industry's most comprehensive, highly engineered solar module mounting solutions. The company designs and manufactures rooftop and ground mounted systems for commercial and utility-scale installations, supporting modules from nearly every photovoltaic manufacturer. SunLink has been the chosen solution on more than 60 MW of projects spanning over 400 sites across North America. For more information about SunLink's history, product lines or engineering services, visit www.sunlink.com.
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SOURCE: SunPower Corp.
CONTACT: Helena Kimball of SunLink Inc.,
+1-415-925-9650, ext. 221, helena@sunlink.com
Web Site: http://www.sunpowercorp.com/
http://www.sunlink.com/