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27 September 2016Patents

Sportbrain aims at Swatch in latest patent infringement claim

Swatch is the latest brand owner to fall in the crosshairs of fitness company Sportbrain, which claims the Swiss company’s smartwatch infringes one of its patents.

Sportbrain filed the suit at the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division on Saturday, September 24.

Lawsuits were also filed against Lumo Bodytech, Imco Technology and Mondaine Watch on the same day.

The patent, US number 7,454,002, was approved in November 2008. It protects a method for “integrating personal data capturing functionality into a portable computing device and a wireless communication device”, according to the application.

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

“Without permission or compensation to Sportbrain, Swatch decided to take Sportbrain’s inventions and utilise its patented technology in its accused products and services,” said the filing.

“On this basis, this infringement has been wilful, deliberate, and in reckless disregard of Sportbrain’s patent rights.”

Sportbrain is seeking a jury trial, an injunction and triple damages.

The company currently has 39 active cases with the same patent being litigated every time.

In 2013, WIPR  reported that Sportbrain had sued Nike, Adidas and Fitbit, alleging infringement of the same patent.

Earlier this year, the company filed patent infringement suits against Microsoft, LG, Samsung and Sony.

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