Apple hit with patent infringement lawsuit for selling a smart water bottle
An Ohio-based company is suing Apple for selling smart water bottles that connect to smartwatches like an Apple Watch, allegedly infringing on two patents covering similar technology.
Credit: Hidrate
The plaintiff in the case is non-practicing entity Xennial IP LLC, which owns U.S. Patent No. 7,792,409 and U.S. Patent No 10,664,571. Both properties cover a "communicative sports water bottle" that can connect to a smart device and track health metrics like water intake.
Apple does not make a smart water bottle with connectivity features. However, on its online store, it does offer HidrateSpark devices that can connect to an Apple Watch, monitor liquid intake and set daily goals.
The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on Wednesday, claims that Apple is directly infringing on the '409 patent by "making, using, at least through internal testing or otherwise, offering to sell, selling an/or importing" HidrateSpark water bottles.
According to the complaint, the HidrateSpark system infringes on Xennial's IP because they include a "bottle body having a base and an upwardly extending sidewall therein defining a fluid chamber," as well as smart systems like a sensor and Bluetooth connectivity.
The lawsuit, which demands a jury trial, seeks a permanent enjoinment on further infringement, an award of damages, and attorneys' fees, among other prayers for relief.
Read on AppleInsider
Credit: Hidrate
The plaintiff in the case is non-practicing entity Xennial IP LLC, which owns U.S. Patent No. 7,792,409 and U.S. Patent No 10,664,571. Both properties cover a "communicative sports water bottle" that can connect to a smart device and track health metrics like water intake.
Apple does not make a smart water bottle with connectivity features. However, on its online store, it does offer HidrateSpark devices that can connect to an Apple Watch, monitor liquid intake and set daily goals.
The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on Wednesday, claims that Apple is directly infringing on the '409 patent by "making, using, at least through internal testing or otherwise, offering to sell, selling an/or importing" HidrateSpark water bottles.
According to the complaint, the HidrateSpark system infringes on Xennial's IP because they include a "bottle body having a base and an upwardly extending sidewall therein defining a fluid chamber," as well as smart systems like a sensor and Bluetooth connectivity.
The lawsuit, which demands a jury trial, seeks a permanent enjoinment on further infringement, an award of damages, and attorneys' fees, among other prayers for relief.
Xennial v Apple by Mikey Campbell on Scribd
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
They are also sold on Amazon, well.ca…
No, and I personally draw the line at having to charge my water bottle
It seems the US patent world has lost its way.
There is no possible way any retailer could be expected to know if every product they sold was not violating any patents because it’s simply an insurmountable task that no retailer would ever be willing to deal with, there are WAY too many patents and a horrendous number are way too vague and generic in their description and/or subject such that lots of infringement occurs simply by accident because even by searching to make sure they aren’t infringing anything they couldn’t find a patent that fit their product and they quite possibly even have a patent on the same or similar wording because even the patent office didn’t find the issue.
However, the fact that the peeson/organization/company bringing the suit is a so-called "non-practicing entity" is irrelevant.