SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 12 -- Finisar Corp., a maker of gigabit fiber optic solutions for high-speed data networks, announced ut was awarded US Patent 6,941,077, involving "digital diagnostics" technology, and has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Agilent Technologies Inc. in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. The patent protects an invention covering circuitry and methods for monitoring optoelectronic devices, such as optical transceivers; it is one of a family of at least five digital diagnostics patents that Finisar said it expects the US Patent Office to issue in the coming months. Digital diagnostics technology allows real-time monitoring of transceiver operating conditions and helps to locate faults in fiber optic systems, simplifying maintenance and enhancing reliability. The lawsuit also alleges infringement of Finisar's US Patent No. 5,019,769, granted in 1991, covering a semiconductor laser diode controller and laser diode biasing control method. Finisar alleges that Agilent refused its repeated offers to license its digital diagnostics technology. Finisar is seeking a substantial award of damages for lost profits on sales of at least $1.1 billion, a trebling of those damages for willful patent infringement and injunctive relief to prevent further manufacture, marketing and sale of Agilent transceiver products that incorporate Finisar technology. For more information, visit: www.finisar.com