UPC_CFI_515/2025

LOGIC CIRCUITRY

Provisional measuresProvisional MeasuresDusseldorf LDProvisional measuresCase Closed

Overview Decisions Reasoning Citations Documents Timeline

Coverage: Partial.Reasoning extracted with partial coverage — some sections may be incomplete.

Plain-English summary

HP (Hewlett-Packard Development Company) obtained preliminary injunctions from the Düsseldorf Local Division against both Andreas Rentmeister (German distributor) and Shenzhen Moan Technology (Chinese manufacturer) for infringement of EP 3 835 965 B1 (logic circuitry for printer ink cartridges). A notable procedural principle was established: where Hague Convention service through the Chinese central authority remains unprocessed for months, the court may deem service effective under R. 275.2 RoP, allowing PI proceedings to advance against the unresponsive Chinese defendant.

Accepted arguments

What the court agreed with — by party.

Rentmeister infringes claim 13 of EP 3 835 965 B1 by selling non-HP ink cartridges containing the claimed logic circuitry
ClaimantLegal basis: Art. 62 UPCA; R. 206 RoP
Note: Düsseldorf granted the PI against Defendant 1 (Rentmeister) after inter partes hearing on 17 October 2025.
Deemed service on Shenzhen Moan Technology under R. 275.2 RoP is valid where Hague Convention service via Chinese central authority has been outstanding for several months without progress
ClaimantLegal basis: R. 275.2 RoP; Art. 15(3) Hague Service Convention
Note: Court held that Hague Convention service cannot be delayed indefinitely in PI proceedings; where Chinese authorities took no action for months despite follow-up, deemed service was appropriate.
Shenzhen Moan also infringes EP 3 835 965 B1; PI should be extended to Defendant 2 following deemed service
ClaimantLegal basis: Art. 62 UPCA
Note: December 2025 order extended PI to Defendant 2 after it failed to lodge an objection following deemed service.

Rejected arguments

What the court did not agree with — and why.

No rejected arguments captured.

Key legal principles

Doctrines and rules cited in the reasoning.

Deemed service under R. 275.2 RoP applies in PI proceedings when Hague Convention service through foreign central authority stalls for months without progress The six-month formal waiting period under Art. 15(2) Hague Convention cannot apply without restriction in urgent PI proceedings (Art. 15(3) Hague Convention recognised)Where a Chinese defendant fails to lodge an objection following deemed service, the court may proceed to determine the PI on the merits

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Claim construction notes

The claim at issue (claim 13 of EP 3 835 965 B1) covers logic circuitry for replaceable print apparatus components that generates low-voltage conditions on an I2C serial data bus for durations based on a received time period and without reference to a clock signal of the bus. The infringement findings for both defendants are based on the accused aftermarket ink cartridge chips implementing this architecture, but the merits reasoning is summarised only at the headnote level in the available excerpt.