DCT

2:26-cv-00016

VTT Technical Research Centre Of Finland Ltd v. Teledyne FLIR Commercial Systems Inc

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Key Events
Complaint

I. Executive Summary and Procedural Information

  • Parties & Counsel:
  • Case Identification: 2:26-cv-00016, C.D. Cal., 01/06/2026
  • Venue Allegations: Plaintiff asserts venue is proper in the Central District of California because Defendant is a California corporation with a regular and established place of business in Goleta, California, within the district.
  • Core Dispute: Plaintiff alleges that Defendant’s Boson and Boson+ thermal imaging camera modules infringe a patent related to bolometer circuit configurations that improve signal amplification and sensitivity.
  • Technical Context: The dispute concerns microbolometers, which are microscopic thermal sensors used in thermal imaging cameras for military, industrial, and commercial applications.
  • Key Procedural History: This case is procedurally linked to a prior lawsuit filed by the Plaintiff in the District of Delaware against Defendant’s corporate affiliates involving the same patent and accused products. The complaint states that after the Delaware court denied a motion to dismiss, the defendants in that action identified the current California-based Defendant as the responsible entity but then declined to allow it to join the Delaware case, prompting the filing of this separate action. The complaint also alleges that Defendant's predecessor-in-interest cited the patent-in-suit to the USPTO during the prosecution of its own patent application.

Case Timeline

Date Event
2007-02-16 '369 Patent Priority Date
2008-02-14 '369 Patent Application Filed
2011-11-22 U.S. Patent No. 8,063,369 Issues
2020-03-26 Defendant's predecessor (FLIR) cites '369 Patent in an IDS
2021-05-01 Teledyne Technologies acquires FLIR Systems, Inc. (approx. date)
2024-06-18 Plaintiff sends formal notice letter to Teledyne Entities
2025-06-25 Plaintiff amends complaint in related Delaware Action
2025-09-05 Court in Delaware Action denies renewed motion to dismiss
2026-01-06 Complaint Filed in C.D. Cal.

II. Technology and Patent(s)-in-Suit Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 8,063,369 - *"Bolometer Element, Bolometer Cell, Bolometer Camera and Method"*

The Invention Explained

  • Problem Addressed: The patent describes the challenge of accurately reading the weak electrical signals from large, two-dimensional arrays of bolometer sensors (i.e., pixels in a thermal camera) without introducing significant noise. Traditional methods for reading out each pixel can degrade the signal-to-noise ratio and require complex and power-hungry electronics, making it difficult to create highly sensitive, high-resolution thermal cameras. (’369 Patent, col. 1:40-52).
  • The Patented Solution: The invention proposes a new type of bolometer element that incorporates its own signal amplification. Instead of a single sensor, each element consists of two bolometers connected in series. The first bolometer detects incoming radiation, while the second is part of the electrical biasing circuit. This configuration allows the first bolometer to function as both a detector and an amplifier, boosting the signal at the pixel level before it is read out. The second bolometer can also function as an integrated switch for multiplexing, simplifying the overall camera electronics. (’369 Patent, Abstract; col. 2:31-41).
  • Technical Importance: This approach aimed to enable the creation of more sensitive and higher-resolution thermal cameras by solving the signal readout bottleneck, improving the signal-to-noise ratio directly at the sensor level. (Compl. ¶¶ 24-25).

Key Claims at a Glance

  • The complaint asserts infringement of at least Claim 1. (Compl. ¶ 56).
  • Independent Claim 1 requires:
    • A first bolometer with a first heating resistance for sensing radiation power.
    • Conductors attached to the first bolometer for electrical detection.
    • A second bolometer with a second heating resistance.
    • An electrical connection between the first and second bolometers where the first bolometer can be "biased with the aid of a voltage through the heating resistance of the second bolometer" in a way that serves "to amplify the radiation power detected."
  • The complaint reserves the right to assert infringement of other claims. (Compl. ¶ 55).

III. The Accused Instrumentality

Product Identification

  • The "Boson and Boson+ longwave infrared (LWIR) thermal camera modules." (Compl. ¶ 13). These are described as infrared camera cores that incorporate uncooled microbolometer arrays to detect infrared radiation and generate thermal images. (Compl. ¶¶ 13-15).

Functionality and Market Context

  • The complaint alleges these modules are core components used in a wide range of thermal imaging and infrared sensing technologies. (Compl. ¶¶ 8-10). It asserts that these products incorporate the patented bolometer configurations to achieve improved sensitivity and signal amplification, setting them apart from prior designs. (Compl. ¶ 25). The complaint references Figure 2A of Teledyne's own '647 patent, which allegedly depicts the infringing circuit configuration used in the Boson products. (Compl. ¶¶ 36, 38). No probative visual evidence provided in complaint.

IV. Analysis of Infringement Allegations

'369 Patent Infringement Allegations

Claim Element (from Independent Claim 1) Alleged Infringing Functionality Complaint Citation Patent Citation
a first bolometer having a first heating resistance for sensing radiation power directed at the element, and conductors attached to the first bolometer, for detecting electrically the radiation power directed at the element, The Boson and Boson+ modules contain bolometer elements that include a first bolometer for detecting radiation. ¶¶ 13, 55 col. 2:60-63
a second bolometer having a second heating resistance, The modules allegedly incorporate a second bolometer as part of the bolometer element circuit. ¶ 55 col. 2:63-65
wherein the first and the second bolometers are electrically connected to each other in such a way that the heating resistance of the first bolometer can be biased with the aid of a voltage through the heating resistance of the second bolometer The modules allegedly feature an electrical connection where the first bolometer is biased through the second bolometer. ¶¶ 24, 55 col. 2:35-36
in order to amplify the radiation power detected with the aid of the connection. This circuit configuration is alleged to amplify the detected radiation power directly within the bolometer element itself. ¶¶ 3, 55 col. 2:36-37
  • Identified Points of Contention:
    • Functional Questions: The central dispute may turn on whether the accused products' circuits perform the function of "amplif[ying] the radiation power" as required by the claim. The complaint notes that Defendant’s response to a pre-suit notice letter specifically invited clarification on this "amplification function," suggesting this is a key area of disagreement. (Compl. ¶ 37).
    • Scope Questions: The case may raise the question of whether the specific circuit topology and components used in the Boson and Boson+ modules fall within the scope of the claim term "biased with the aid of a voltage through the heating resistance of the second bolometer." The analysis will depend on the precise electrical configuration of the accused products compared to the embodiments described in the patent.

V. Key Claim Terms for Construction

  • The Term: "amplify the radiation power detected"

  • Context and Importance: This term is the functional heart of the claim and appears to be a primary point of dispute. Its construction will determine whether any signal gain within the accused circuit meets the claim limitation, or if a specific type of "power amplification" as described in the patent is required. Practitioners may focus on this term because the complaint highlights it as a subject of pre-suit debate between the parties. (Compl. ¶ 37).

  • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:

    • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The specification states that "the bolometer is used not only as a radiation detector, but also as an amplifier," which could be argued to encompass various forms of signal gain. (’369 Patent, col. 2:36-37).
    • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The patent describes a specific mechanism where the "bolometer drives the bolometer element into a power-amplifying mode." (’369 Patent, col. 2:51-52). This could support an argument that only this particular mode of operation, and not just any increase in signal strength, satisfies the claim.

  • The Term: "biased with the aid of a voltage through the heating resistance of the second bolometer"

  • Context and Importance: This structural limitation defines the core circuit configuration. The infringement analysis will depend on whether the accused products' biasing scheme maps onto this language.

  • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:

    • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The claim language is not limited to a specific circuit layout (e.g., series connection), potentially covering any arrangement where the second bolometer's resistance is part of the first bolometer's biasing path.
    • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The specification distinguishes this "resistance-biasing" from "pure voltage bias" and consistently describes it as being achieved "by connecting two bolometers in series." (’369 Patent, col. 2:35-41). This may support a construction limited to a series-connected topology.

VI. Other Allegations

  • Indirect Infringement: The complaint alleges induced infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b), asserting that Defendant provides customers with "website materials, instructions, datasheets, promotional materials and the like" that instruct on the use of the accused modules in a manner that directly infringes the ’369 Patent. (Compl. ¶¶ 58-59). The complaint alleges Defendant does so with knowledge and specific intent to cause infringement. (Compl. ¶ 59).
  • Willful Infringement: The complaint alleges willful infringement based on both pre-suit and post-suit knowledge. Pre-suit knowledge is alleged to have occurred no later than: (1) March 26, 2020, when Defendant’s predecessor (FLIR Systems) cited the ’369 Patent in an Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) during its own patent prosecution (Compl. ¶ 32); (2) May 2021, via knowledge imputed from due diligence during Teledyne's acquisition of FLIR (Compl. ¶ 33); and (3) June 18, 2024, upon receipt of a formal notice letter from Plaintiff (Compl. ¶ 35). Post-suit willfulness is based on continued infringement after the filing of the related Delaware action and this complaint. (Compl. ¶ 62).

VII. Analyst’s Conclusion: Key Questions for the Case

  • A central issue will be one of functional operation: Does the circuitry in the accused Boson and Boson+ modules in fact "amplify the radiation power" as that phrase is construed, or does it achieve its sensitivity through a different technical mechanism that falls outside the scope of the asserted claims?
  • A key question of claim scope will be whether the specific electrical configuration in the accused products constitutes being "biased...through the heating resistance of the second bolometer," particularly if the patent's teachings are interpreted to require a specific series connection between the two bolometers.
  • The dispute over willfulness will likely depend on significant factual discovery regarding Defendant’s state of mind, including what knowledge can be imputed from its predecessor’s 2020 IDS citation, what was learned during the 2021 corporate acquisition, and how Defendant responded to the formal infringement notice in 2024.