USITC terminates Toyota and Honda investigation

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has terminated an investigation into the import and sale into the US of vehicles produced by Honda and Toyota.

In a notice published July 19, the ITC said it would be terminating an investigation brought by Intellectual Ventures after the patents were found to be an invalid by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

As reported by WIPR, the investigation had been instituted in 2017, after Intellectual Ventures alleged Honda and Toyota had infringed five of its patents (US numbers 7,154,200; 7,067,944; 7,067,952; 7,683,509; and 7,928,348).

The termination comes after a December 2018 finding by the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board that every claim asserted against Honda and Toyota in this investigation is “unpatentable on invalidity grounds”.

The patents in dispute relate thermoplastic-encapsulated electric motors.

In its original complaint, Intellectual Ventures had argued that coolant pumps, water pumps and power steering motors featured in vehicles made by both Honda and Toyota infringed its patents.

Intellectual Ventures had also asked for an investigation into BMW, but this was terminated earlier this year.

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