U.S. Patent Office Throws Out Final Two Challenges To RealD Patents

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In another decisive legal victory for RealD Inc. (NYSE: RLD), the U.S. Patent Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) threw out the final two challenges to RealD patents.

The PTAB denied the final two requests for review from MasterImage3D, attempting to challenge RealD's patents protecting their award-winning XL light doubling technology. The ruling is the latest victory upholding and affirming RealD patents around the world.

This is a significant win for RealD as most of MasterImage's attacks have now been denied despite repeated attempts to invalidate the RealD patents. MasterImage is now barred from further challenging RealD's patents before the PTAB.

On September 9, the Board denied Inter Partes Review (IPR) of RealD's US Pat. 8,220,934 in IPR No. 2015-00877 on all grounds.   

The following week, on September 16, the Board similarly denied review of RealD's US Pat. 7,857,455 in IPR No. 2015-00876 on all grounds, deciding that MasterImage's reasoning "is not based on rational underpinnings but, evidently, on hindsight improperly gleaned from RealD's claimed invention."

Instituting an IPR is only the first step in an invalidation proceeding. The multi-step invalidation process allows the petitioner to make its case to the PTAB – and MasterImage has failed to pass that initial stage for five of their seven IPRs.  Institution denials were also made in case numbers IPR2015-00033, IPR2015-00036 and IPR2015-00038.

RealD has successfully defended its XL invention patents around the world, and recently had yet another patent affirmed following a reexamination challenge in Australia by MasterImage.  While two IPR cases have been instituted to review a limited subset of claims, RealD has confidence that those will be similarly unsuccessful when they are tried on the merits before the PTAB panel in December. 

"We are gratified that the Appeals Board has ruled so decisively and declaratively in our favor on these IPRs and we will continue to aggressively protect our portfolio of patents and our Intellectual Property rights in this matter," said RealD President of Worldwide Cinema Anthony Marcoly. 

Marcoly added, "With more than 60 patents issued around the world, RealD's XL Cinema System offers our customers proprietary and superior 3D technology. This PTAB ruling builds on other recent worldwide legal decisions that clearly uphold RealD's position against unethical infringers whose business models appear to be built on copying our proprietary, award-winning and patented light-doubling optical architecture."

RealD has a significant patent wall surrounding its light-doubling XL Cinema System with IP filings dating back to 2006 covering architecture and other aspects of the inventive technology. Chief among the protection of RealD's proprietary system is a collection of Invention Patents, which have been substantively examined and granted and have been consistently affirmed in both examination and re-examination proceedings around the world.

The RealD XL Cinema System was introduced in 2008 and today is the world's most widely used 3D cinema projection technology with more than 15,000 units installed around the world. The XL Cinema System delivers more light and better efficiency than any other 3D cinema projection technology, and as a result, it provides a superior projected 3D image at a lower operating cost. The world's most widely used 3D cinema technology, RealD 3D is installed in more than 27,000 auditoriums by approximately 1,200 exhibitors in 72 countries around the world.

Further information concerning RealD patents can be found at www.realdpatents.com.

About RealD Inc.
RealD is a leading global licensor of 3D and other visual technologies.  RealD's extensive intellectual property portfolio is and can be used in applications that enable a premium viewing experience in the theater, the home and elsewhere.  RealD's core business is the licensing of RealD Cinema Systems and the product sale of RealD eyewear to motion picture exhibitors to enable a premium viewing experience for 3D motion pictures and alternative 3D content in the theater.

RealD was founded in 2003 and has offices in Beverly Hills, California; Boulder, Colorado; London, United Kingdom; Moscow, Russia; Shanghai, China; Hong Kong; and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit our website at www.reald.com.

Media Contact:
Steve Elzer (Elzer & Associates on behalf of RealD)
213-607-3591
[email protected]

Investor Contact:
Andrew Greenebaum/ Laura Bainbridge (Addo Communications for RealD)
310-829-5400
[email protected]

Cautionary note on forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on RealD management's current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. RealD's annual and quarterly reports include a more detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements. RealD undertakes no obligation to update publicly the information contained in this press release, or any forward-looking statements, to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date they were made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE RealD Inc.

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