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2 May 2017Patents

BMW, Toyota and Honda named in USITC investigation

Motor companies BMW, Toyota and Honda are among those named in a section 337 investigation by the US International Trade Commission (ITC).

The ITC voted to institute an investigation into certain “thermoplastic encapsulated electric motors”, according to a release issued on Friday, April 28.

The investigation was based on a complaint filed by Intellectual Ventures II (IV) in March.

According to the ITC, IV’s complaint alleged that the companies had violated section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in importing into the US and selling different types of electric motors or parts of electric motors.

IV requested that the ITC issue a limited exclusion order and cease-and-desist orders.

It accused the companies of infringing US patent numbers 7,154,200; 7,067,944; 7,067,952; 7,683,509; and 7,928,348.

According to news site Reuters Canada, the complaint alleged that the 2016 Toyota Camry, 2017 Honda Accord and the BMW 229i models sold in the US infringed the patents.

The ITC has not made any decision on the case, and it will be assigned to one of the ITC’s administrative law judges.

The agency will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest predictable time, within 45 days after the institution of the investigation.

A spokesperson for IV told WIPR it did not have a comment on the ITC's investigation at this time.

A spokesperson for Honda told WIPR "as this is now a matter before the ITC we have no comment at this time".

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