"Applewatch heart rate detection technology is mine."
Joseph Wiesel, a specialist in cardiology at New York University, insisted that Apple infringed his patent. The patent in question is a patent entitled 'Method of and apparatus for detecting atrial fibrillation'.
It was registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on March 28, 2006, and deals with a technique for measuring attrial fibrillation of irregular heartbeats. Atrial fibrillation is a condition that can lead to blood clots, strokes, and heart failure.
Vigel's patent uses photoplethysmography, which uses green light to monitor blood flow activity, which is also used in Apple Watch.
(Source: USPTO)
In September 2017, when Apple released the Apple Watch Series 3, he reported to Apple that he had a patent on heart rate measurement patents. Detailed infringements were also provided to confirm whether the patent infringement occurred. But Apple declined to negotiate in good faith and explained that it had no choice but to file a lawsuit.
Vigel said that Apple's technology for detecting irregular heartbeats is an important part of Apple Watch devices and has been actively used in marketing to boost device sales.
Last month, a large-scale trial of the Apple Heart Study, published at Stanford University in the United States, was released. In clinical trials, the Apple Watch was used as a heart rate monitoring device to detect heart attacks.
Currently, Joseph Viszel is asking Apple for royalties, legal fees, and recovery of damages.
Apple is not responding yet. Vigel, on the other hand, believes Apple's patent infringement behavior is "intentional, intentional, and deliberate."