Apple Watch avoids import ban as court upholds patent invalidation in AliveCor case

A U.S. federal appeals court has upheld the invalidation of three patents held by medical device maker AliveCor. This ruling overturns an earlier decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that could have led to an import ban on Apple Watches.

The dispute between the two companies began in 2021 when AliveCor sued Apple, alleging that the tech giant had infringed on its patents related to heart rate monitoring and electrocardiogram (ECG) technology. AliveCor claimed that Apple had copied its technology, starting with the Apple Watch Series 4, and subsequently made the iOS incompatible with AliveCor’s KardiaBand accessory, driving the company out of the market.

However, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board later invalidated the patents in question at Apple’s request. This led the ITC to recommend a limited exclusion order and cease-and-desist for the Apple Watch, which Apple successfully appealed.

On decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit agreed with Apple that AliveCor’s patents were, indeed, invalid, reversing the ruling of the ITC. That means no import ban on Apple Watches will result from this case.

While AliveCor expressed disappointment with the court’s decision, the company stated that it would continue to “explore all available legal options, including potential appeals” to defend its position. AliveCor maintains that the patents are valid and that Apple infringed on its intellectual property rights.

We are deeply disappointed by the Court’s decisions this morning and that the Court did not review the available secondary considerations, which the ITC found to be persuasive in their finding of validity. Today’s ruling does not affect our business or ability to continue innovating for our growing base of millions of customers.

“We thank the Federal Circuit for its careful consideration in this case,” an Apple spokesperson said. “Apple’s teams have worked tirelessly over many years to develop industry-leading health, wellness and safety features that meaningfully impact users’ lives, and we intend to stay on this path.”

Sources: Reuters and MacRumors

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