Federal Circuit Overturns GM's Patent Win Against Auto-Parts Provider LKQ
Federal Circuit Overturns GM's Patent Win Against Auto-Parts Provider LKQ
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) has experienced a setback in its legal battle against aftermarket auto parts provider LKQ Corp. (NASDAQ:LKQ) regarding fender designs.
通用汽車公司紐約證券交易所代碼：GM）在與售後汽車零部件供應商LKQ Corp.（納斯達克股票代碼：LKQ）的擋泥板設計法律鬥爭中遇到了挫折。
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned a previous decision favoring GM, marking a huge shift in design-patent law with a rare full-court decision.
美國聯邦巡迴上訴法院推翻了先前有利於通用汽車的裁決，通過一項罕見的全庭裁決，標誌着外觀設計專利法的巨大轉變。
Reuters reported that the Federal Circuit Court discarded a long-standing test for determining the validity of a design patent and remanded the case to the U.S. Patent Office for further review.
路透社報道說，聯邦巡迴法院放棄了長期以來用於確定外觀設計專利有效性的測試，並將該案發回美國專利局進一步審查。
Meanwhile, LKQ's attorney, Mark Lemley, described the ruling as vital to providing consumers with safer, quality repair options.
同時，LKQ的律師馬克·萊姆利將該裁決描述爲爲消費者提供更安全、優質的維修選擇至關重要。
Design patents safeguard the unique visual features of manufactured items. In 2022, LKQ requested the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board to invalidate a GM design patent for a front vehicle fender after their licensing agreement lapsed, and GM threatened legal action.
設計專利保護了製成品的獨特視覺特徵。2022年，LKQ要求美國專利商標局的專利審判和上訴委員會在其許可協議到期後宣佈通用汽車前置車輛擋泥板的設計專利無效，通用汽車威脅要採取法律行動。
Also Read: General Motors, LG Establish $150M Settlement Fund For Bolt EV Battery Issues: Report
另請閱讀: 通用汽車和LG爲Bolt電動汽車電池問題設立了1.5億美元的和解基金：報告
LKQ contended that GM's patent was obvious by comparing it to two earlier designs, but the board ruled in GM's favor. A three-judge panel at the Federal Circuit later upheld this decision.
LKQ辯稱，通用汽車的專利與早期的兩種設計進行比較是顯而易見的，但董事會作出了有利於通用汽車的裁決。聯邦巡迴法院由三名法官組成的小組後來維持了這一裁決。
The full Federal Circuit agreed last June to revisit the case, marking its first full-court rehearing in a patent case since 2018.
去年6月，聯邦巡迴法院全體成員同意重新審理此案，這是自2018年以來首次對專利案進行全庭複審。
LKQ argued that the Supreme Court's 2007 decision, which rejected rigid and mandatory formulas for utility patents, should apply to design patents as well.
LKQ辯稱，最高法院2007年的裁決駁回了實用專利的嚴格和強制性公式，也應適用於外觀設計專利。
Several auto parts companies supported LKQ, claiming that maintaining the current test would increase the cost and reduce the availability of replacement parts.
幾家汽車零部件公司支持LKQ，聲稱維持目前的測試將增加成本並減少替換零件的可用性。
Conversely, companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) advocated for retaining the existing test to ensure a predictable patent landscape.
相反，蘋果公司（納斯達克股票代碼：AAPL）和福特汽車公司等公司(NYSE: F) 主張保留現有測試，以確保可預測的專利格局。
The Federal Circuit sided with LKQ, deeming the current test as improperly rigid and suggesting a more flexible approach akin to the utility-patent obviousness test.
聯邦巡迴法院支持LKQ，認爲目前的測試不夠嚴格，並建議採取類似於實用專利明顯性測試的更靈活的方法。
Price Action: At the last check on Wednesday, GM shares were trading lower by 1.54% at $44.24.
價格走勢：在週三的最後一次檢查中，通用汽車股價下跌1.54％，至44.24美元。
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
免責聲明: 該內容部分是在人工智能工具的幫助下製作的，並由Benzinga編輯審查和發佈。
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譯文內容由第三人軟體翻譯。