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China’s top court finds patent lawsuits against Unitree Robotics malicious
China’s Supreme Court ruled that patent lawsuits against Unitree Robotics, concerning its robot dogs, were malicious. The plaintiff, Luweimei Company, acquired the patent shortly before filing and sought escalating compensation before the patent was invalidated. The court ordered Luweimei to cover Unitree’s legal costs.
Key points
- China's Supreme People’s Court found two patent lawsuits against Unitree Robotics to be malicious.
- The lawsuits were based on a patent titled 'An Electronic Dog', obtained by Luweimei Company just five days prior.
- Luweimei originally sought RMB500, escalated to RMB80 million during appeals, then went back to RMB500.
- The Chinese patent authority invalidated Luweimei's patent on March 12.
- Unitree’s counterclaim was upheld, requiring Luweimei to pay RMB80,000 in legal costs and RMB3,700 in court fees.
Why it matters
- This case highlights ongoing issues related to patent litigation in China, particularly concerning the tech and robotics sectors.
- The escalation of patent claims reflects broader trends in IT and technology where companies aggressively protect intellectual property, which is expected to intensify through 2025.
The court's ruling against Luweimei underlines the importance of legitimate patent practices and the increasing scrutiny of malicious litigation in China's tech industry.