Posts Tagged: "irobot"

Robot War at ITC Leads to Preliminary Win for iRobot

Roomba maker IRobot Corp. came closer to its goal of knocking down cheaper rival SharkNinja after winning a decision in its patent-infringement case at the International Trade Commission (ITC/Commission), though it wasn’t a clear victory. ITC Judge MaryJoan McNamara said SharkNinja infringed two of four asserted iRobot patents, according to a notice posted last week on the agency’s electronic docket. The judge’s full findings won’t be public for a couple of weeks, to enable both sides to redact confidential business information.

Sue Decker

October 10, 2022

Patent Filings Roundup: Robot Vacuum Wars, PTAB Filings Dip, Pharma Litigation Abounds

This week’s District Court filings were robust, with a dip in Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) filings–a big chunk of which were related to a dispute over robot vacuum cleaners. A few new (or renewed) assertion campaigns, a few small inter-company disputes, and a number of pharmaceutical disputes led the charge. I say Robot, you say vacuum: Call it the great robot vacuum wars of 2020: industry leader iRobot sued SharkNinja for infringement of three patents (as well as false advertising)—seeking a preliminary injunction of a competing product right before the lucrative holiday season. iRobot contended that SharkNinja had “brazenly ripped off” their Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners with their much less expensive IQ Robot competitor product. That bid failed, and the case continued; now SharkNinja has filed multiple IPRs seeking to invalidate the asserted patents.

Jonathan Stroud

April 1, 2020

Robotics: The Business Depends on More than Patents

In the late 1970s patents for devices which would accommodate the self-care and mobility needs of the aging and handicapped began to be filed. But it wasn’t until 1990 that the filings increased, numbering about 20 a year. By 2005, they totaled about 50 annually. The current trend in patent applications is now focused on humanoids, that is robots resembling and making movements like human beings. That is exactly the kind of story which attracts considerable media attention, creating the illusion that this robotics niche is taking off.

Jane Genova

January 5, 2013