Apple has secured another legal victory in its ongoing battle with AliveCor, as a federal appeals court upheld the invalidation of three patents that AliveCor claimed Apple infringed with the Apple Watch. As a result, the court has vacated a prior International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling, preventing a potential import ban on the Apple Watch.
What Happened?
The dispute began in 2021 when AliveCor sued Apple, alleging that the Apple Watch violated patents related to heart rate monitoring and ECG technology. Initially, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) found that Apple had infringed on these patents. However, Apple challenged the ruling, bringing the case before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).
Upon review, the PTAB determined that key claims in AliveCor’s patents were invalid, significantly weakening the case against Apple. Despite this, the ITC recommended a limited exclusion order, which could have banned certain Apple Watch models from being imported into the U.S.
Apple appealed the ITC ruling, arguing that the patents in question had already been invalidated by the PTAB. Meanwhile, AliveCor appealed the PTAB’s decision, hoping to reinstate its claims against Apple.
This week, the federal appeals court upheld the PTAB ruling, confirming that the patents were not valid and, as a result, nullifying the ITC’s decision. This means that Apple will not face an import ban over this case.
Apple expressed gratitude for the ruling, emphasizing its commitment to health technology innovation:
“We thank the Federal Circuit for its careful consideration in this case. 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.”
AliveCor, on the other hand, expressed frustration and disappointment, arguing that the case reflects broader challenges for smaller innovators:
“These cases go beyond AliveCor; they represent every small company and future innovation that is at risk of being suppressed by a Goliath.”
The company also stated that it will continue to explore legal options, including potential further appeals, and reaffirmed its commitment to developing AI-powered cardiac care solutions.
While Apple has successfully fended off AliveCor, it hasn’t been as lucky in another high-profile patent dispute with Masimo over blood oxygen sensing technology. That case has resulted in an Apple Watch import ban in the U.S., forcing Apple to disable the blood oxygen feature in U.S. models.
For now, Apple avoids another major Apple Watch setback, but with ongoing legal challenges, its battles over health-related patents are far from over.