2025-07-30 - LD Düsseldorf - Headwater Research v. Samsung - UPC_CFI_26/2024
- Aktenzeichen:
- UPC_CFI_26/2024
- Datum:
- Spruchkörper:
- Court of First Instance - Düsseldorf (DE) Local Division
- Art:
- Proceeding Decision
- Parteien:
- Headwater Research LLC v. Samsung Electronics GmbH, Samsung Electronics France, S.A.S., Samsung Electronics Benelux B.V., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Kernaussage: The Düsseldorf LD revoked Headwater's patent (claim 1) for added matter and dismissed the infringement action against Samsung.
2025-07-30 - LD Düsseldorf - Headwater Research
v.
Samsung - UPC_CFI_26/2024
notable
The Düsseldorf LD revoked Headwater's patent (claim 1) for added matter and dismissed the infringement action against Samsung. The claim featured determining whether an 'application' runs in background/foreground, but the parent application only disclosed determining whether a 'network service usage activity' runs in background/foreground — a material distinction. The court rejected the claimant's new argument at oral hearing under R.9.2 RoP: even though added matter was raised from the outset, new arguments based on completely different passages of a 200+ page document undermine the front-loaded procedure. All 26 auxiliary requests failed to cure the defect. The court left open whether a third-party defendant can bring Art. 138(1)(e) entitlement revocation.
Nichtigkeitsgründe
Art. 138 EPCAdded Matter
Patent invalid (this ground)Art. 123(2) EPC · Art. 138(1)(c) EPC
“Application vs network service usage activity is material distinction. 26 auxiliary requests failed.”