圖、手機保護殼內建電池專利訴訟，Zagg與子公司Mophie 提告Anker Tech
2017年12月15日, Zagg Inc.公司與其旗下子公司Mophie, INC 於美國中加州聯邦地方法院控告香港商Anker Technology 等公司侵害6件有關內建電池的手機保護殼之相關專利。
於美國專利局專利審查過程中，Mophie所擁有的 "內建電池的手機保護殼" 專利家族還曾和 Incase Design Corp. 所擁有的相同發明內容專利家族 (USP# 7889498, 7782610, 7612997, 8531833) 間，進行衝突interference程序，以決定誰才是該相同發明的較早發明者。
Incase Design所擁有專利家族雖然母案申請日較晚 (2005 May 11) 是 junior party，但審查速度較快，因此四件專利較早核准領證；而Mophie所擁有專利家族雖然母案申請日較早 (2005 Jan. 21) 是senior party，但審查速度較慢．因此直到Mophie案開始審查，審查委員才發現Incase有著實質相同發明內容的核准專利，進而展開衝突程序。最後由Mophie專利家族勝出判定為較早發明者而擁有該發明的專利權；而原本Incase所擁有的4件US專利相關衝突的專利範圍被撤銷。
本文僅列出其中4件專利範圍與對應翻譯，並提供被控產品相關網站圖示，讓各位讀者理解原告如何主張侵權。這4件專利是圍繞 "內建電池的手機保護殼" 概念的不同實施例態樣/保護重心，分別是：
(1) 保護殼是堅硬殼體，由上下殼體分別從手機上下端接近組合而成；
(2) 保護殼是可橈殼體，上端可橈以允許手機插入保護殼中；
(3) 保護殼上有電量指示燈；
(4) 保護殼中有開關，可選擇何時要啟動殼體內電池對手機供電。
USP# 8971039 claim 14
保護殼是堅硬殼體，由上下殼體分別從手機上下端接近組合而成
14. A case for an electronic device comprising:
a lower case portion comprising:
a base surface upon which a back of a housing of the electronic device will be placed against, wherein the base surface comprises a top edge;
a battery, enclosed in the lower case portion;
electronic circuitry, coupled to the battery;
a lower sidewall, connected to the base surface at an end opposite of the top edge, that will be positioned against a bottom side edge of the electronic device;
an inner connector, on the lower sidewall, positioned to connect to a connector of the electronic device, and coupled through the electronic circuitry to the battery; and
an outer connector, positioned on an outside bottom side of the lower case portion, coupled through the electronic circuitry to the battery and inner connector; and
an upper case portion comprising:
an upper sidewall that will be positioned against a top side edge of the electronic device when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion; and
an open side end, opposite of the upper sidewall,
wherein the upper case portion slides onto the lower case portion through the open side end in a direction along the base surface from the top edge to the lower sidewall,
wherein when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion, the upper and lower case portions meet at and form a seam which extends across a back of the case, and
when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion, a first open-polygon-shaped opening for the lower case portion merges with a second open-polygon-shaped opening for the upper case portion to form a front opening of the case through which a screen of the electronic device will be visible, the front opening having a closed shape, and
wherein when the interface of the mobile device is connected to the internal interface of the bottom section and the screen of the mobile device faces up the battery cell is positioned under the back of the housing of the mobile device.
14.一種電子設備的保護殼，包括：
一個下殼體，包括：
一基座表面，該電子裝置殼體的背部將抵靠在該基座表面上，其中該基座表面包括一上緣;
一電池，該電池封裝在下殼體中;
一電子電路，耦合到該電池;
一下側壁，在相對於該上緣的端部處，該下側壁連接到該基部表面，該下側壁將抵靠該電子裝置的底側邊緣;
一內連接器，位於該下側壁上，該內連接器設置於可連接到該電子設備連接器位置，且通過該電子電路耦合到該電池;和
一外部連接器，位於該下殼體的外側底面上，該外部連接器藉由該電子電路耦合到該電池和該內連接器;和
一個上殼體，包括：
一上側壁，當該上殼體抵靠該下殼體時，該上側壁將抵靠該電子裝置的上緣定位;和
一開放側端，該開放側端與該上側壁相對；
其中當該上殼體藉由該開口側端，沿著該底面從該上緣朝向該下側壁滑動時，該上殼體滑動到該下殼體上；
其中，當上殼體抵靠下殼體時，上殼體和下殼體相交並形成延伸穿過殼體背部的接縫，
並且當上殼體抵靠下殼體時，下殼體的第一開多邊形開口與上殼體的第二開多邊形開口結合以形成一保護殼前開口以觀看該電子設備的顯示螢幕，該保護殼前開口具有封閉的外形，
其中當該電子設備的界面連接器連接至該內部接口並且該電子設備顯示螢幕朝上時，該電池單元位於該電子設備殼體的背面下方。
圖、被告Anker產品圖示 (對應USP#9077013 claim 1)
USP#9077013 claim 1
保護殼是可橈殼體，上端可橈以允許手機插入保護殼中
1. A battery case for use with a mobile electronic device, the battery case comprising:
a battery;
a back wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a back side of a mobile electronic device;
a bottom wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a bottom of the mobile electronic device;
an upper wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device;
a right side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device;
a left side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device;
a front opening configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening;
a device interface configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the device interface to provide electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the device interface, and wherein the device interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device; and
an external interface configured to recharge the battery, wherein the external interface is configured to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device;
wherein the upper wall is flexible to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the battery case.
1.一種用於移動電子設備的電池保護殼，該電池保護殼包括：
一個電池;
後壁，該後壁被配置成與移動電子裝置的背側的至少一部分相鄰定位;
底壁，該底壁被構造成定位成與該移動電子裝置的底部的至少一部分相鄰;
上壁，該上壁被配置為鄰近該移動電子設備的頂部的至少一部分定位;
右側壁，被配置為與該移動電子設備的右側的至少一部分相鄰定位;
左側壁，該左側壁被配置為與該移動電子設備的左側的至少一部分相鄰定位;
前開口，該前開口被配置為使得該移動電子設備的顯示器通過該前開口可見;
設備接口，被配置為與移動電子設備上的對應接口接合，其中電池耦合到設備接口以通過設備接口向移動電子設備提供電力，並且其中設備接口被配置為允許傳輸數據去往或來自移動電子設備;和
外部接口，被配置為對該電池進行再充電，其中該外部接口被配置為使該移動電子設備能夠與外部設備通信;
其中上壁是柔性的以便於將移動電子裝置插入到電池殼體中。
圖、被告Anker產品圖示 (對應USP# 9088028 claim 1)
USP# 9088028 claim 1
保護殼上有電量指示燈
1. A battery case for a mobile electronic device, the battery case comprising:
a lower portion comprising:
a back wall configured to extend across at least a portion of a back side of a mobile electronic device;
a battery housed within a thickness of the back wall;
a lower right side wall configured to extend along a lower right side of the mobile electronic device;
a lower left side wall configured to extend along a lower left side of the mobile electronic device;
a bottom wall configured to extend along a bottom of the mobile electronic device;
a device interface extending upward from the bottom wall, the device interface configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the device interface to provide electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the device interface, and wherein the device interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device;
an external interface configured to recharge the battery, wherein the external interface is configured to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device; and
a charge indicator configured to indicate the charge status of the battery; and
an upper portion that is configured to be movably separated from the lower portion to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the battery case, the upper portion comprising:
a top wall configured to extend along a top of the mobile electronic device;
an upper right side wall configured to extend along an upper right side of the mobile electronic device; and
an upper left side wall configured to extend along an upper left side of the mobile electronic device;
wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are configured to slide together to a closed position to form a cavity for housing the mobile electronic device, and wherein a front opening of the battery case is configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening.
1.一種用於移動電子設備的電池保護殼，該電池保護殼包括：
下殼體包括：
後壁，該後壁被配置為延伸穿過移動電子設備的背側的至少一部分;
容納在後壁厚度內的電池;
右下側壁，其被構造成沿著該移動電子裝置的右下側延伸;
左下側壁，其被構造成沿著該移動電子裝置的左下側延伸;
底壁，其被配置成沿著該移動電子裝置的底部延伸;
從該底壁向上延伸的設備接口，該設備接口被配置為接合該移動電子設備上的相應接口，其中該電池被耦合到該設備接口以通過該設備接口向該移動電子設備提供電力，並且其中，該設備接口被配置為允許傳送去往或來自移動電子設備的數據;
外部接口，被配置為對該電池進行再充電，其中該外部接口被配置為使該移動電子設備能夠與外部設備通信;和
充電指示器，被配置為指示電池的充電狀態;和
該上部被構造成可移動地與該下殼體離以便於將該移動電子裝置插入到該電池殼體中，該上部包括：
頂壁，其被配置為沿著該移動電子設備的頂部延伸;
右上側壁，其被構造成沿著該移動電子裝置的右上側延伸;和
左上側壁，其被配置為沿著該移動電子設備的左上側延伸;
其中該上殼體和該下殼體被配置為一起滑動到閉合位置以形成用於容納該移動電子設備的空腔，並且其中該電池外殼的前開口被構造成使得該移動電子設備的顯示器是可見的通過前面的開放。
圖、被告Anker產品圖示 (對應USP# 9088029 Claim 1)
USP# 9088029 Claim 1 : (節省篇幅, 僅列出和先前範圍不同元件)
保護殼中有使用者可操作開關，使用者可選擇何時要啟動殼體內電池對手機供電
a user input element configured to toggle the battery case between a charging configuration and a non-charging configuration while the mobile electronic device is in the battery case, wherein the battery case is configured to deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device when in the charging configuration and to not deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device when in the non-charging configuration.
用戶輸入元件，當該移動電子設備設置於該電池保護殼中時, 該用戶輸入元件可用來切換該電池保護殼在 "充電模式" 與 "非充電模式" 之間，其中當該電池保護殼被配置為 "充電模式"時, 該電池傳送電能到該移動電子設備，當該電池保護殼被配置為 "非充電模式" 時, 該電池不傳送電能到該移動電子設備。
本案評析
手機保護殼產業進入門檻低，相關業者廠商甚多，且相關保護套技術已經發展多年而相當成熟，因此是相當技術密集crowded art的產業。
(1)競爭廠商可能同時也正研發相同發明，公司專利申請案要爭取時效：如本案所揭露，兩個專利家族最早母案申請日只差４個月，因此兩者時間差有限，卻決定何者勝者全拿．公司提出專利申請案往往需經過一連串的前案檢索，商業價值評估，侵權舉證性評估等意見簽核；甚至有的還需要發明人於專利評審會簡報後才能做出申請與否決定，最後才發案專利事務所撰稿。筆者建議從收到構想案到完成第一案專利申請 (取得母案優先權日) 之間的時間差要盡可能縮短，應該避免超過3個月；甚至有些廠商認為費用可負擔，會先取得台灣或大陸專利申請日後，後續再來做較嚴格的審查決定要提出哪些國家的專利申請。
(2) 相關技術密集的專利若要有效，預期專利範圍會比較明確限縮：若手機保護殼專利範圍僅是簡短幾個元件限制條件，不免令人擔心，稍後是否能經得起被告向美國專利商標局多方複審的嚴格挑戰，專利有效性可能就有待商榷。
因此讀者乍看之下，或許會覺得條列於上的Mophie專利範圍相當限縮侷限，但專利代理人憑藉著良好的專利範圍撰寫技巧，精確地以較冗長文字來描述本案與前案差異，能確保專利有效性；但同時又能妥適地切割成多個專利，有效地保護發明核心概念，讓抄襲者仍難以逃出專利範圍。(2852字；圖1)
相關檔案下載：
本案Zagg v. Anker 訴狀
審查委員主動提起衝突程序審查(Interference Decision)
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