IRVINE, Calif., July 9, 2026 – A team from leading intellectual property law firm Knobbe Martens delivered a significant win for consumer products company, SharkNinja, with the successful dismissal with prejudice of a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Optimum Vector Dynamics.
In January 2026, Optimum Vector Dynamics filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleging that SharkNinja infringed U.S. Patent No. 8,649,971 by making and selling intelligent robotic vacuums with smart mapping technology. The Knobbe Martens team representing SharkNinja filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit based on ineligibility of patent ‘971, and on July 7, the court granted the motion dismissing the case with prejudice.
Commenting on the decision, Knobbe Martens partner Brian Claassen said, “We were thrilled to represent SharkNinja, a significant innovator in the robotic vacuum space, in this case. This decision helps reinforce the balance between protecting genuine innovation and preserving healthy competition in the market.”
The Knobbe Martens team representing SharkNinja was led by Mr. Claassen and included Douglas Wentzel, Michael Forman, and John Grover.
About Knobbe Martens’ Litigation Practice
Knobbe Martens’ litigators are trusted by innovators to protect technologies, brands, and creative assets when the stakes are highest. Our litigators handle complex patent infringement, trademark and trade dress disputes, copyright claims, trade secrets cases, and antitrust and unfair competition matters across the United States and internationally. We appear regularly in federal district court, state and federal courts, and administrative tribunals, and handle appeals before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, delivering results that align with our clients’ business objectives.
About Knobbe Martens
Knobbe Martens protects the ideas that drive innovation and propel our world forward. As a leading intellectual property and technology law firm, clients worldwide rely on us to safeguard their products, brands, and technologies through strategic counsel and high-impact litigation. With offices across the U.S., our lawyers and technology specialists collaborate to deliver tailored solutions for clients ranging from multinational corporations to start-ups and emerging companies at every stage. Discover more at www.knobbe.com.
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