Apple Watch Heart Rate Monitor Technology is Allegedly Stolen, Affected Firm Files Lawsuit

Once again, it seems that Apple is finding itself in hot water — insofar as the legality of its technology is concerned. The company’s lawyers must be working overtime lately, as the Cupertino tech-giant just can’t seem to stay away from the courtroom. And it’s no surprise, if you ask me, seeing as how Apple is worth hundreds of billions of dollars — I mean, who wouldn’t want a slice of the pie, right?

This time, however, the dispute is a bit more complex. According to court papers filed in a North Carolina district court yesterday, Apple had been in extensive talks with a tech firm by the name of Valencell. According to Valencell, Apple had initially expressed interest in partnering with the firm, specifically to form a licensing agreement for the company’s biometric heart rate sensors — those currently employed in the Apple Watch.

Valencell is alleging that Apple approached them in an effort to obtain information and prototypes of their heart sensor technology, however, when the time came, the informal agreement was shelved.

But the Apple Watch was still released, and it still features Valencell’s technology built right into it … See where this is going?

According to the court filings, Apple allegedly utilized third party firms to take advantage of information pertaining to Valencell’s biometric technology — also known as “PerformTek.”

All of the data and supporting information, according to Valencell, was available from “white papers” that the company had provided on its website, which were easily accessible by anyone who wished to fill out a form thereon. The suit alleges that white papers were requested from a number of IP addresses owned by Apple, and that the online forms submitted on Apple’s behalf contained “misleading information” that “disguised the fact” that Apple was the one requesting such data to begin with.

Additionally, in June 2013, Apple called for a formal meeting with Valencell President and Co-founder, Dr. Steven LeBoeuf, during which more data and samples were made available.

The Apple Watch, released almost two-years later, includes a heart rate sensor based on Valencell’s “photoplethysmography (PPG) technology, which utilizes infrared and green LED lights to detect the rate of blood flow. Valencell owns a patent on the technology, which improves the accuracy of that detection.

Valencell is seeking a court-ordered injunction on all Apple Watch sales, in addition to unspecified damages. No formal court date has been scheduled yet, however we’re sure it won’t take long with all these high-profile lawyers and impressive Apple Watch sales figures thrown into the mix.

Learn More: Apple Loses Patent Lawsuit, Could Owe $862.4 Million