Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from an AliveCor spokesperson.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has found that the redesigned Electrocardiography in the Apple Watch does not violate patents held by AliveCor, a medical device company. This ruling further complicates AliveCor’s legal challenges against Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
What Happened: The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has concluded that the redesigned ECG in the Apple Watch does not infringe on patents held by AliveCor. This decision means that the affected Apple Watch models are not subject to the International Trade Commission’s Limited Exclusion Order.
As a result, Apple can import these Apple Watch models into the U.S. for sale without having to pay a $2 bond for each unit. This ruling adds to AliveCor’s legal setbacks in its ongoing legal battle against Apple.
CBP’s filing stated, “We find that Apple has met its burden to establish that the articles at issue do not infringe any of claims 12, 13, and 19-23 of the ‘941 patent or claims 1, 3, 5, 8-10, 12, 15, and 16 of the ‘731 patent.”
AliveCor is currently appealing an antitrust case it lost in California. This ruling comes after a previous legal blow to AliveCor when the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruled three of its patents covering heart monitoring technologies for wearable devices are unpatentable.
“Apple’s proposed redesign would result in an inefficient and poor customer experience, should they choose to move forward with implementing it,” an AliveCor spokesperson told Benzinga.
“When the ITC’s limited exclusion order goes into effect after resolution of the pending appeals, Apple will be forced to decide whether it will consciously degrade its Apple Watch product in an attempt to sidestep its infringement or simply play by the rules.”
Why It Matters: The ongoing legal battle between AliveCor and Apple has seen multiple twists and turns. In December 2022, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruled that three of AliveCor’s patents on heart monitoring technologies were unpatentable. This decision was a significant win for Apple and disrupted the ITC proceedings scheduled for that month.
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In January, Masimo Corp. CEO Joe Kiani commented on Apple’s decision to disable the blood oxygen monitoring feature in its latest smartwatches due to a patent dispute. Kiani suggested that Apple Watch users might be better off without the feature, indicating the ongoing tension between Apple and medical device companies.
In March, Apple was reported to be exploring new functionalities for the Apple Watch beyond health tracking, after the legal challenges it faced. These new features could include various sensors for non-health-related purposes.
In April, Apple appealed to a U.S. court to overturn an import ban on certain Apple Watch models imposed due to a patent dispute with Masimo. Apple argued that the ban should not be upheld because the Masimo wearable was theoretical at the time of the complaint.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
