Suunto joins Strava in submitting lawsuit towards Garmin

Garmin’s obtained one other lawsuit on its arms. This time it’s Suunto, taking them to court docket in Texas over some key smartwatch options.

The timing is tough to disregard. Just days earlier, Strava lodged its personal lawsuit in Colorado, accusing Garmin of copying key options like Segments and heatmaps. Both circumstances goal core elements of Garmin’s platform and product lineup, and collectively they increase the stakes for what may turn into a drawn-out authorized battle.

The patents on the coronary heart of Suunto’s lawsuit

The 56-page criticism, filed on September 22nd within the Eastern District of Texas, focuses on 5 Suunto-owned patents: U.S. Patent No. 7,489,241, U.S. Patent No. 8,021,306, U.S. Patent No. 11,018,432, U.S. Patent No. 7,271,774 and U.S. Patent No. 10,734,731. These cowl automated golf swing detection, low-power respiratory monitoring utilizing coronary heart price information, together with structural antenna designs that enable wi-fi communication in metal-bodied watches.

According to Suunto, Garmin has used these patented applied sciences with out permission throughout a variety of gadgets. That contains fashions just like the Fenix 5 by 8, the Epix collection, most Approach golf watches, and even equipment just like the CT10 golf sensors. The criticism additionally names way of life and efficiency traces similar to Forerunner, Instinct, MARQ and Venu. So it’s just about most of Garmin’s lineup.

Suunto says these options, similar to Garmin’s AutoShot and HRV-derived respiration monitoring – straight infringe their IP. The criticism contains detailed technical declare charts, references Garmin’s personal consumer manuals as proof, and descriptions how every product allegedly incorporates the disputed expertise.

What Suunto desires from the court docket

Suunto is asking for financial damages and a everlasting injunction that might cease Garmin from promoting any product that features the contested options. If granted, this might affect a big chunk of Garmin’s present watch lineup.

The case has been assigned to Judge Rodney Gilstrap, who usually presides over patent circumstances within the Eastern District of Texas. Garmin has till late December to reply, following a proper waiver of service signed on September thirtieth.

The broader image

These two lawsuits put Garmin in a difficult spot. Suunto is coming after the {hardware} facet, whereas Strava is targeted on software program and information. Both are reacting to Garmin entering into territory they see as theirs. Whether justified or not, that’s for the courts to determine.

Garmin retains constructing options that overlap with what others provide. That’s now beginning to flip into direct authorized conflicts. Whether that is actually about patent infringements or one thing else, stays to be seen.

Strava, for instance, has an upcoming IPO. Suunto, now owned by China’s Liesheng Group, could also be trying to assert its worth post-acquisition by imposing its patent portfolio extra aggressively. Filing within the Eastern District of Texas, a court docket identified for favouring patent holders, suggests they’ve picked their battleground rigorously.

Whether this will get sorted in court docket or behind the scenes, Garmin is not only defending just a few options. It is defending the way it desires to function going ahead.

Via: GarminRumours

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