Alsup Tosses Patent Suit Against Comcast

The bad patent news keeps coming for Sunnyvale’s Finisar.

In April, the Federal Circuit tossed a $104 million award for patent infringement that Finisar won against DirecTV.

On Friday, Northern District Judge William Alsup granted (.pdf) a summary judgment dismissing Finisar’s $140 million patent infringement claim against Comcast, Comcast’s lawyers at Keker & Van Nest said.

Finisar, which makes high-speed data transmission equipment, accused Comcast of infringing with its digital cable systems. Alsup invalidated the only claim asserted by Finisar because of obviousness. Morgan & Finnegan represented Finisar.

No doubt this is good news for Comcast, which otherwise had kind of a crappy day at the hands of the FCC.

—  Zusha Elinson