Fitbit patents lodged against Jawbone invalid, judge says

Fitbit Inc.’s three patents used in its case against Jawbone Inc. are invalid, a U.S. trade judge said as he canceled an Aug. 8 trial between the rival San Francisco makers of fitness devices. U.S. International Trade Commission Judge Thomas Pender ruled that the patents don’t cover ideas eligible for protection, according to a notice posted on the agency’s electronic docket. Fitbit remains the lead fitness device maker, more than doubling sales last year even while losing market share. [...] the stock is down 71 percent from a year ago as investors fear the momentum will slow and device manufacturers like Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. and Xiaomi Corp. will gobble more of the market. The three Fitbit patents in the case relate to portable monitoring devices, a wearable heart rate monitor and a system where a motion detector monitors physical activity.