Siemens IoT platform hit with patent infringement claim

Siemens Corporation has been accused of infringing a patent relating to a cloud-based data management system.  

US-based Akoloutheo filed the complaint for patent infringement at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas yesterday, August 6. It also named Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software, a unit of the company, as a defendant. 

Akoloutheo alleged that Siemens has infringed its US patent number 7,426,730, called “Method and system for generalised and adaptive transaction processing between uniform information and applications”.

The invention protects a processing function “that is useful for controlling any type of transaction between providers and consumers of information services”.

Akoloutheo alleged that a wide range of Siemens’ products infringe the patent, including its cloud platform MindSphere and its variations, which operate in the context of the internet of things (IoT).

According to Akoloutheo, the MindSphere systems infringe claims 1, 15 and 17 of the ‘730 patent, which involve a process for completing transactions across a network of computers.

Akoloutheo said that Siemens has described MindSphere as a cloud-based IoT operating system that connects machines and “physical infrastructure to the digital world”. This allows the user to manage their data at all times. Several additional applications are available to be used in conjunction with MindSphere.

The claim alleged that the MindSphere systems perform the same functions in the same way and generate the same results as the ‘730 patent. Akoloutheo added that any differences between its patent and Siemens’ products are “insubstantial”.

Akoloutheo is seeking a jury trial, damages and a permanent injunction against Siemens.