Canon Wins Patent appeal in court
Japan’s Canon Inc won a patent lawsuit against a recycled ink cartridge supplier as the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal against a lower court decision in favour of the camera and office gear maker.
Canon filed a suit at a Tokyo court in 2004, asking a court injunction to block imports and sales by Tokyo-based Recycle Assist Co of recycled Canon ink cartridges that are refilled with non-Canon ink, claiming the products infringe Canon patents.
The Supreme Court decision is significant for Canon as this was the top court’s first decision ever on whether a manufacturer can have patent rights on recycled versions of its own patented products.
