Apple has been involved in a series of legal disputes with health technology firm AliveCor, including a contentious case with the International Trade Commission.
Today, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed an earlier ruling by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the US Patent and Trademark Office, declaring that the three patents from AliveCor central to its case at the ITC are unpatentable.
In 2021, AliveCor filed a complaint with the ITC, alleging that Apple’s heart rate monitoring capabilities in the Apple Watch infringed upon three of its patents. In June 2022, the ITC initially sided with AliveCor, confirming that Apple had indeed violated these patents. Following this, Apple sought the PTAB’s assistance to invalidate AliveCor’s patents.
In December 2022, the PTAB determined that the patents from AliveCor were unpatentable, implying that the patent claims were deemed too obvious or overly broad. AliveCor subsequently initiated an appeal against this ruling.
Three weeks later, the ITC concluded that the Apple Watch infringed AliveCor’s patents, contingent upon the patents’ validity. The exclusion order was suspended while AliveCor’s appeal regarding the PTAB ruling was evaluated.
This leads us to the current situation where the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has upheld the PTAB’s decision to invalidate AliveCor’s three patents, thus dismissing the case at the ITC.
In a statement to DMN, an Apple representative stated:
We appreciate the Federal Circuit’s thorough examination of this case. Apple’s teams have dedicated immense effort over the years to create groundbreaking health, wellness, and safety features that significantly enhance users’ lives, and we are committed to continuing this journey.
You can access both pertinent documents from today below.
AliveCor’s Statement
We are profoundly disappointed by the Court’s decisions this morning and that the Court did not consider the secondary factors, which the ITC found compelling for establishing validity. Today’s ruling will not hinder our operations or our capability to keep innovating for our expanding customer base, which numbers in the millions.
These legal battles extend beyond AliveCor; they represent every small business and innovation that could be stifled by larger corporations. Our confrontation with Apple is essential to safeguard innovation, promote fair competition, and ensure that inventors—both present and future—receive the intellectual property protections necessary for creating and scaling new technologies.
We will continue to explore all legal avenues, including potential appeals, to uphold our stance that our patents are valid and that Apple has infringed upon our intellectual property rights. As we advance, our emphasis remains on revolutionizing the industry with clinically validated, AI-driven solutions aimed at democratizing access to cardiac care.
AliveCor vs. Apple
AliveCor vs. International Trade Commission
