Masimo Corp. has urged a California federal judge to reject Apple’s bid to erase a US$634 million patent-infringement verdict over Apple Watch heart-rate alerts, arguing trial evidence supported the damages award, reports Bloomberg Law.
The jury heard sufficient evidence to back its finding that Apple Watch continuously measures pulse rate and issues high- and low-rate alerts, supporting its finding that Apple Watch meets the “patient monitor” limitation of US Patent No. 10,433,776, Masimo said in a redacted brief filed Jan. 23 in the US District Court for the Central District of California, the article adds.
Masimo pointed to doctors’ statements, Apple marketing, and testimony from Masimo’s expert and from Apple engineers, who said “[e]very single watch ever sold by Apple has been a heart rate monitor.”
Last November a U.S. federal ruled that Apple owes medical technology company Masimo US$634 million for patent infringement related to the blood oxygen-sensing technology in the Apple Watch, reported Reuters.
“Over the past six years (Masimo has) sued Apple in multiple courts and asserted over 25 patents, the majority of which have been found to be invalid,” an Apple spokesperson told Reuters. “The single patent in this case expired in 2022, and is specific to historic patient monitoring technology from decades ago.”
Not surprisingly, Apple appealed the verdict. This is all part of an ongoing legal battle.
In June 2022 Masimo filed a patent infringement complaint against Apple, asking for a ban on impacts of the Apple Watch. The medial device company claimed that the Apple Watch Series 6 infringed on five of its patents for devices that use light transmitted through the body to measure oxygen levels in the blood. The company said that the tech is vial to its business and that Apple is unfairly copying its features.
Masimo and its spinoff Cercacor Laboratories first sued in January 2020. They accused Apple of promising a working relationship only to steal secret information. The tech giant also allegedly attempted to hire away key employees, including Cercacor’s former chief technology officer and Masimo’s chief medical officer.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
