Adidas
has filed a lawsuit against Under Armour and its subsidiary MapMyFitness Inc.
claiming that they infringed on workout-tracking software and devices. Adidas
is claiming infringement on 10 of their patents in an ongoing dispute over
location aware systems that enable people to monitor and track data from their
workouts. Under Armour purchased the fitness technology company MapMyFitness in
November 2013 for approximately $150 million. Under Armour claims that the
patent is invalid because it is too broad and claims mere capabilities as
opposed to the system’s use. Under Armour asserts that methods for recommending
routes have been around for a very long time, and that patents for computerized
versions are simply the same idea and should not be honored.
The
two patents that are being specifically analyzed in the case are U.S. Patents
7,292,867 and 7,805,149. Under Armour claims that Adidas made concrete claims
about usability in 149’, which they are using as a benchmark to evaluate patent
867’. Under Armour says that Adidas clearly knew the specifics of the usability
and decided against putting in the patent in an attempt to extend the reach of
the patent. In the case, Adidas is claiming willful infringement,which could
result in a much higher penalty if they win the case.
HI Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this blog post. I particularly liked how you included the law firms that represented each of the companies and the specific numbers of the patent. After looking at the patents further, I feel that both Adidas and Under Armour use vague language intentionally to incorporate the newest technology in their products while having the ability to prosecute other firms looking to move into the wearable tech space. Moreover, I liked how you included information about MapMyFitness; it really provided good insight to the background of the case. As an area for improvement, I'd recommend talking about the verdict of the case. Keep up the good work!