ITC Investigation: Toyota Hybrid Patents (TM)

Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) is not trading lower on a patent investigation in the United States.  There is no way to know at this time just how broad the implications could be for Toyota or other hybrid makers, but the U.S. International Trade Commission, or the ITC, has voted to investigate patents that pertain to certain hybrid electric vehicles and their components in certain hybrid electric vehicles containing both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, as well as components.  This specifically targets Toyota in the complaint, brought by Paice LLC of Bonita Springs, Florida.

Paice is alleging patent violations in the importing of certain hybrid electric vehicles and components, and it requests that the ITC issue an exclusion order and cease and desist orders.

The ITC said that it has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case and it will assign the case to one of the ITC’s six administrative law judges to schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing.

The ITC’s full release can be found here on their site and a brief description of the patent at the Paice site can also be found here.  This URL may be too long to post but there is a link to the full complaint filed as well.  Here is also a list of the Paice patents by issue date and number in this hybrid vehicle front.

Patent case violations of this sort can go on for years and years, so don’t expect this situation to come to a head or to come front and center any time in the immediate future.

JON C. OGG
OCTOBER 6, 2009