Unocal Licensing Fuel Patents.Fresh off its victory in federal court, ElSegundo-based Unocal Corp. said that it would sell a uniform license to oil refiners that want to produce cleaner-burning gasoline gasoline or petrol, light, volatile mixture of hydrocarbons for use in the internal-combustion engine and as an organic solvent, obtained primarily by fractional distillation and "cracking" of petroleum, but also obtained from natural gas, by based on its patents. The licenses will add less than a penny per gallon to the cost of reformulated gasoline, officials said. The U.S. Supreme Court last month let Unocal's patents stand, allowing the company to keep $91 million in damages paid by refiners. The patents cover gasoline that meets standards set by California and federal regulators. Unocal has patented five cleaner-burning gasoline formulas since 1994 and offered to negotiate licenses. But some of the company's biggest rivals, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp., sued in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , contending that the patent was invalid Null; void; without force or effect; lacking in authority. For example, a will that has not been properly witnessed is invalid and unenforceable. INVALID. In a physical sense, it is that which is wanting force; in a figurative sense, it signifies that which has no effect. . Unocal filed a counterclaim A claim by a defendant opposing the claim of the plaintiff and seeking some relief from the plaintiff for the defendant. A counterclaim contains assertions that the defendant could have made by starting a lawsuit if the plaintiff had not already begun the action. , and a jury awarded it damages. Only companies that had not challenged the patents in court will get them, Unocal officials said. |
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