In a decision that could have implications for the global technology and health sectors, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has found that the latest Apple Watches do not infringe on the blood oxygen monitor patents held by Masimo Corp.
The grounds of this decision, released in January, are based on the CBP’s assessment that any access to the patented feature in these redesigned watches entails a “significant alteration.” This means that, rather than constituting a violation of Masimo’s patents, the end-user modifications required to access this feature fail to create a directly comparable product.
Masimo Corp., a renowned developer and manufacturer of noninvasive patient monitoring technologies, holds several patents relating to blood oxygen monitors. This technology is a feature seen in many high-end wearable health devices, such as the latest Apple Watches. This decision is therefore of particular interest not only to Apple but to all manufacturers of similar devices.
For further details about U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision, follow this link.
Legal decisions such as this can have a far-reaching impact in today’s interconnected technology and health sectors. Intellectual property protection and patent enforcement are key challenges in this rapidly-evolving field, and manufacturers of tech-health devices will be paying close attention to the adequate safeguards for their patented technologies.