Alibaba's Cainiao Korea Invalidates BWB Patent in South Korea

Korean Patent Tribunal Strikes Key Claim; BWB Files Appeal

(Source: https://www.cainiao.com/en/index.html)

By PatenTrip

Cainiao Supply Chain Korea, the logistics subsidiary of China's Alibaba Group, successfully invalidated a key claim of a patent held by Japanese firm BWB in South Korea.

In October 2024, the Korean Intellectual Property Tribunal (KIPT) ruled that claim 8 of BWB's patent, titled "Commercial Transaction System, Administration Server, and Program" (KR1986410), was invalid. Cainiao had filed the invalidation request in June 2024, asserting that the claim lacked validity—a position the tribunal ultimately upheld.

Claim 8 outlines a computer-implemented method for managing pre-clearance information in e-commerce transactions before a purchase decision. The method includes receiving a registration request with product information, transmitting the request to a customs authentication device, retrieving pre-clearance data related to customs clearance and tariffs, and notifying a transaction system to display the information alongside product details on an accessible site.

In December 2024, BWB appealed the KIPT's decision to the Patent Court of Korea, disputing the invalidation of claim 8. The appeal process is ongoing, and a final ruling has yet to be issued.

By PatenTrip