New York cardiologist sues Apple for violating his patent on detection of Atrial Fibrillation

Dr. Joseph Wiesel is suing Apple as he claimed that the technology company has violated his patent protecting his devised method of using photoplethysmography for the detection of atrial fibrillation. According to him, Apple is using the same technology in its Apple Watch.

Atrial fibrillation is the condition of having an irregular heartbeat which can then lead to blood clots, which consequently increases the chances of a stroke. The Apple Watch uses green lights and sensors which use photoplethysmography in order to assess a user’s heart condition and heart rate, which Dr. Wiesel claims was originally invented and patented by him.

Dr. Wiesel Says Apple’s Violation Of His Patent Is Deliberate

Dr. Wiesel of the New York University also claims that he informed the iPhone manufacturer about his patent as early as 2017, before the release of the Apple Watch Series 3. He additionally says that he provided specific charts highlighting his patent and the features that matched with the Apple Watch, but Apple failed to respond or cooperate at all.

The cardiologist said that the company refused to negotiate, pushing him into seeking royalties, previous damages, and the recovery of legal fees. He has emphasized that the violation is deliberate and has not been made in ignorance.

Currently, Apple has not responded.

An Insight Into The Functioning Of The Apple Watch

The technology in the Apple Watch is not a final say on a person’s heart condition but gives people a signal as to whether or not it is time to consult a physician. The Apple Watch Series 4 has a Digital Crown and a crystal which is connected to an app that provides an ECG reading.

In order to get an ECG reading and for more information regarding heart rate, the user has to place his/her finger on the crown of the watch. Once the app completes a circulation, in approximately 30 seconds, the app informs the user of his/her heart condition.

The user may receive one of three readings which include sinus rhythm, inconclusive, or AFib, which is an irregular heartbeat. If a user receives a notification of such a condition, it is recommended for them to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Apple conducted an Apple Heart Study in order to test the new AFib technology and recruited over 400,000 participants. This was the world’s largest atrial fibrillation screening ever conducted.

Surprisingly, the results revealed that over 1% of adults in developed countries suffer from an irregular heartbeat. However, the accuracy of this estimate has still not been established.

Regardless of the study, Mr. Wiesel claims that since his patent dates back to 2006 and he informed Apple of the existence of the patent in 2017, the company was deliberately ignoring the need to provide due credit.