Food & Product Compliance

Calidad v Seiko Epson

A patent owner may not control every downstream use after first sale. Businesses refurbishing, repairing, importing or reselling patented products need to understand the exhaustion line.

Outcome: The High Court allowed Calidad's appeal. A majority accepted the exhaustion doctrine and held that the relevant modifications did not amount to making a new product; they were modifications of products that had already been sold.