Design Patent Infringement Litigation Filed in China

The Firm proudly announces that it has initiated design patent infringement litigation against a manufacturer of knock-off products in the People’s Republic of China on behalf of its customer Oracle Lighting. This action follows months of coordinated investigations in China to identify the source of knock-offs of Oracle’s popular VECTOR™ Grill.

Jeffrey Banyas, an attorney with the Firm, coordinated the effort to obtain and enforce Oracle Lighting’s design patents in the U.S. and China. During the process of obtaining the design patent rights, it became clear that knock-off products were already entering the market. The Firm activated its network of investigators and attorneys in North America and China to identify the source of these illegal goods, culminating in the filing.

The Firm has long advocated international enforcement as an often less expensive and more effective mechanism for addressing IPR infringement as compared to traditional U.S. litigation options. Jeffrey emphasized that today’s action is an important step for enforcing Oracle’s IPR rights, and deterring future knock-offs and counterfeits.

As Jeffrey stated,

We set out on this enforcement effort with the goal of identifying and stopping these products at their source as opposed to trying to corral them when they are already at distributors or customers. A lot of businesses operate on the mistaken belief that there is nothing you can do about illegal goods coming out of China. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are several options available for obtaining and enforcing IPR in China, and doing so can have real benefits for your business.

In Oracle’s press release announcing the litigation, Oracle’s Director of Product Development, Justin Hartenstein, emphasized that,

We take our intellectual property rights very seriously and are willing to do whatever it takes to prevent the theft of our patented designs. If that means going to court in China or any other country, we’ll be there.

Designed as an aftermarket customization for the Jeep Wrangler, the VECTOR™ Grill recently earned Oracle a 2018 Global Media Award from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) as well as a runner-up award for SEMA’s 2019 Best New Exterior Accessory Product.

Stay tuned for more information regarding this case as the infringement suit works its way through the courts in China!