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UPC CFI 1927/2025

Dec 10, 2025·EP3001984: METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ORTHOPAEDIC JOINT

Case details
Status
Written Phase
Action
Provisional measures
Category
Provisional Measures
Parties
Claimants
Reps: Sören Dahm (Kather Augenstein); Robert Knaps (Kather Augenstein); Nicole Schopp (Kather Augenstein); Christoph Heringlake (Kather Augenstein); Kai Stornebel (Gramm, Lins & Partner Patent- und Rechtsanwälte PartGmbH)
Respondents
Reps: Marcus Grosch (Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP); Johannes Bukow (Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP); Tonio Allendorf (Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP)
Division
Dusseldorf LD
Technology
Pharmaceutical & Medical
Language
German
First decided
Feb 25, 2026
Last decision
May 7, 2026
Decisions
  • 2026-05-07
    PI deniedPreliminary injunctionApplication for provisional measures

    The Local Division Düsseldorf dismissed the application for provisional measures filed by Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA against BrainPortfolio Inc. and BrainRobotics Inc. concerning alleged indirect infringement of EP 3 001 984 B1. The court found that, on summary examination, it could not determine with the required certainty that the accused product (Kneuro microprocessor knee system) actually implements the claimed method, because the 'Donkey-Kick' activation movement constitutes an artificial, deliberate switching movement incompatible with the patent's requirement of intuitive/automatic control. Additionally, the court found it could not exclude that the claimant had acted with undue delay (Zuwarten) in filing the application, further undermining the urgency required for provisional measures.

    Legal issues:Indirect (contributory) infringement of method claim for controlling a prosthetic knee jointClaim construction of 'criteria' under feature 1.2(b): whether criteria must reflect natural movement patterns enabling intuitive/automatic controlWhether the 'Donkey-Kick' activation sequence in the accused product meets the patent's requirement of parameters reflecting natural prosthetic movementUndue delay (unangemessenes Zuwarten) under R. 211.4 RoP: timing of the claimant's knowledge of potential infringementUrgency (Dringlichkeit) as a prerequisite for provisional measuresIdentity of BrainPortfolio Inc. and BrainRobotics Inc. as legal entities (DBA issue)Jurisdiction of the Düsseldorf Local Division under Art. 32(1)(c), Art. 33(1)(a) UPCA
  • 2026-02-25
    Application for provisional measures

    Düsseldorf Local Division issued a preliminary procedural order scheduling an oral hearing in the provisional measures proceedings by Ottobock against BrainPortfolio Inc. and BrainRobotics Inc. for 22 April 2026. The order set filing deadlines for the parties' written submissions in preparation for the hearing and invited parties to notify participants. This is a case management order with no substantive ruling on the merits.

    Legal issues:Provisional measures oral hearing scheduling (R.209.1(b) RoP)Case management order
Documents
Document titleDatePublic
Final Order2026-05-07Public
action.phaseChange.caseClose2026-05-07Not public
action.issueDecision.decision2026-05-07Not public
Final Order2026-05-07Not public
Hearing recording reference document2026-04-23Not public
action.phaseChange.oralPhaseOpen2026-04-21Not public
Other Documents2026-04-21Public
Receipt2026-04-08Not public
Cover sheet2026-04-08Not public
Document2026-04-08Not public
Receipt2026-04-08Not public
Cover sheet2026-04-08Not public
Document2026-04-08Not public
Receipt2026-03-23Not public
Cover sheet2026-03-23Not public
Exhibit Defendant2026-03-23Not public
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Statement of rejoinder2026-03-23Not public
Receipt2026-03-09Not public
Cover sheet2026-03-09Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-03-09Not public
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Statement of reply2026-03-09Not public
action.issueOrder.order2026-02-25Not public
Order2026-02-25Public
Receipt2026-02-23Not public
Cover sheet2026-02-23Not public
Exhibit Defendant2026-02-23Not public
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Exhibit Defendant2026-02-23Not public
Statement of defence2026-02-23Not public
action.issueOrder.order2026-02-18Not public
Order2026-02-18Public
Receipt2026-02-16Not public
Cover sheet2026-02-16Not public
Submission Claimant2026-02-16Not public
action.issueOrder.order2026-02-12Not public
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Order2026-02-12Public
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action.publishOrderDecision.case2026-02-04Not public
Service Receipt/Service Document2026-02-04Not public
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action.issueOrder.order2025-12-12Not public
Order2025-12-12Not public
Cover sheet2025-12-10Not public
Fee2025-12-10Not public
Application for provisional measures2025-12-10Not public
Other documents2025-12-10Not public
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Proof of payment2025-12-10Not public
Receipt2025-12-10Not public
Accepted arguments
What the court agreed with — by party.
  • The patent's claimed 'criteria' must reflect natural movement patterns enabling intuitive/automatic control without deliberate switching movements, as consistently stated throughout the patent description distinguishing the invention from prior art requiring artificial activation movements

    RespondentLegal basis: Art. 69 EPC and Protocol on Interpretation; claim construction from skilled person's perspective
  • The accused product's 'Donkey-Kick' activation (deliberate backward kick followed by fast high-knee) constitutes a conscious, deliberate, and artificial switching movement that does not qualify as a natural prosthetic movement pattern meeting claim feature 1.2(b)

    RespondentLegal basis: R. 211.2 RoP (required certainty for provisional measures)
  • It cannot be excluded that the claimant had constructive knowledge of potentially infringing characteristics by early July 2025 at the latest, and therefore could have filed the application no later than mid-to-late October 2025 rather than mid-December 2025, resulting in undue delay

    RespondentLegal basis: R. 211.4 RoP (undue delay in applying for provisional measures)
  • No rectification of parties (Rubrumsberichtigung) is warranted because the respondents themselves created ambiguity about their separate legal identities in the product packaging and user manual

    ClaimantLegal basis: General principles of legal representation and liability in commercial dealings
Rejected arguments
What the court did not agree with — and why.
  • The claimant only acquired complete knowledge of the infringement facts on 4 December 2025, and the acquisition of the accused device required certified orthopaedic technicians making earlier testing impossible without elaborate deception

    ClaimantLegal basis: R. 211.4 RoP
  • The accused product implements feature 1.2(b) because an IF-function comparing parameters against threshold values sequentially constitutes 'criteria' under the claim, and there are multiple criteria because there are multiple special functions (stair descent, stumble protection, etc.)

    ClaimantLegal basis: Claim construction under Art. 69 EPC
  • For subsequent steps of alternating stair climbing, the activation movements become less unusual and could constitute natural prosthetic movement

    ClaimantLegal basis: Claim construction and infringement analysis under R. 211.2 RoP