The suit against Toyota about patent infringement was settled after Toyota was confronted to have hybrid imports blocked. A patent filed in 1994 that covered a “high voltage method to power gas-electric hybrid cars” was at issue. Toyota is going to let the technology be licensed by Paice.
The patent info
The patent that Toyota had to settle was about supplying torque to wheels on a car with two separate motors. It became a patent in 1994 by Paice which was developed by Alex Severinsky. The combination of high voltage and low current is used in most hybrid automobiles.
Economic arguments leveled
Though Toyota agreed that its technology may have infringed on the Paice patent, but the company had a case because of the International Trade Commission. The ITC has the right to block imports if patent violations are found, unless there are “health or public policy issues” with that limitation. Toyota was arguing that blocking Toyota imports would have created hundreds of millions of dollars of lost economic activity and many job losses.
The lawsuit settled
Paice filed a lawsuit against Toyota approximately six years ago. Both Paice and Toyota agree that the technology used within the Toyota autos is “equivalent to the Paice patent.” Toyota says that despite the fact that it may be alike, all of it was invented and developed by Toyota solely. Hybrid imports would are blocked from coming into the country if Toyota hadn’t settled this case in Texas and U.S. appeals court. Neither side has revealed information of the settlement.
Ford and Paice work together
Electric and hybrid cars are things Ford hopes to create with Paice technology. The Toyota lawsuit could be unaffected by this agreement. The Fusion hybrid car is one of the many Ford plans on using the Paice patented technology for.
