Sportbrain targets Nixon and Montblanc in patent infringement suits

Fitness company Sportbrain has filed two separate patent infringement lawsuits against watch makers Nixon and Montblanc.

The lawsuits ( here and here) were filed at the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, on Sunday, October 16.

This is the third round of patent infringement lawsuits filed by the company in the last two months.

On September 27, WIPR reported that Sportbrain had filed a lawsuit against Swiss watch company Swatch.

The fitness company claimed that Swatch infringed one of its patents, US number 7,454,002, which was approved in November 2008.

Sportbrain claimed that Swatch’s smartwatch, Swatch Touch Zero One, and its companion apps infringed the patent

According to the application, the patent protects a method for “integrating personal data capturing functionality into a portable computing device and a wireless communication device”.

In the Nixon suit, Sportbrain claimed that the watch company has also infringed the ‘002 patent.

Sportbrain added that Nixon’s Mission Smartwatch and its companion apps, which connect to wireless communication devices to transmit personal data, infringed its patent.

In the suit, Sportbrain claimed that Nixon’s smartwatch “directly markets and sells its infringing products” to residents in Illinois via its website.

Montblanc’s E-Strap and its accompanying apps were targeted in the other suit.

Sportbrain argued that Montblanc’s watch “actively induced” infringement of the ‘002 patent by inducing its customers to use Montblanc’s devices for integrating personal data via wireless devices.

In both suits, Sportbrain is asking for damages, attorneys’ fees, pre- and post-judgment interest, and expenses.