Nautilus Inc. announced that the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in support of requiring clarity in patent claims. The Supreme Court, in a 9 0 ruling, overturns a prior Federal Circuit Court of Appeals decision, and addresses the guidelines that are needed in order to prevent vague and overly broad patent claims from serving as a basis for unsubstantiated and meritless legal action.
Biosig Instruments Inc had accused Nautilus Inc of infringing on its
patented technology for monitors built into fitness machines like
treadmills, which register electrical waves to estimate a user's heart
rate.
“We asked the Supreme Court to accept this case because of our strong belief that the patent system is best served when patent claims are precise, definite, and certain. Ambiguous and indefinite patents stifle competition and encourage unnecessary litigation,” said Wayne Bolio, SVP, Law and Human Resources, Nautilus Inc. in a statement. “We are gratified that the Supreme Court issued an opinion that addresses these concerns, which will benefit not only Nautilus Inc., but also numerous other companies facing similar circumstances. We believe this will, in turn, encourage innovation, whereas vaguely written patents encourage patent trolls and unnecessary litigation.”
“This ruling is long overdue and will foster innovation across all industries,” said Bruce Cazenave, CEO, Nautilus Inc. “It will help protect both Nautilus Inc. and all other companies from increasing, unnecessary, and costly patent litigation that is taxing our already overburdened court system.”
