ITC to investigate alleged Apple Watch infringement of AliveCor patents

AliveCor, which specializes in FDA-cleared personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology and services, has announced that the US International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a Notice of Institution of an Investigation into Apple’s alleged infringement of three AliveCor patents. 

Last month, AliveCor filed the case with ITC, alleging the infringement and seeking to bar the importation of Apple Watches incorporating the infringing technology into the U.S. The company sued Apple last year alleging that the Apple Watch’s electrocardiogram feature infringes three of its patents. The lawsuit claims that the ECG functionality on the Apple Watch Series 4 and later infringed on its intellectual property related to use wearable sensors to improve cardiac monitoring technology. 

All three patents focus on monitoring for cardiac arrhythmias, or an irregular heartbeat. The patented technology includes the use of data from wearable devices to aid in diagnosing the condition.