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The Federal Court of Canada has released a judgment confirming the validity of MIPS AB’s patent rights. MIPS had been in dispute with Bauer, a Canadian hockey products company.
The judgment upholds MIPS’ Canadian Patent 2,798,542 and thus confirms the novelty and inventiveness of the patented MIPS Brain Protection System technology. The same technology is subject to other MIPS patents worldwide and has been implemented in helmets by leading helmet brands throughout the world for use in a wide range of sports, including cycling.
Bauer had claimed that MIPS was not entitled to patent protection in Canada for the relevant technology due to lack of novelty and inventive step.
MIPS’ CEO Johan Thiel said: “I am very satisfied that this dispute has finally been successfully resolved and this judgment follows only weeks after the decision by the European Patent Office to revoke a European Patent for the same technology previously granted to Bauer."
He added: "I am especially pleased on behalf of the dedicated team of scientists and product developers at MIPS who have been closely involved in the innovations that created the proven solutions for reduction of rotational motion in oblique impact in helmets, and led the grant of the patent in question.”
