Universal Robots owner sues Chinese cobot maker JAKA for patent infringement in Europe
Teradyne Robotics, the parent company of Universal Robots, has filed a patent infringement case at the Unified Patent Court in Copenhagen against the German subsidiary of Chinese collaborative robot manufacturer JAKA. The case covers both hardware and software patents and could have effect across 17 EU member states.
The lawsuit was filed on August 27 and concerns patents held by Teradyne Robotics relating to Universal Robots' collaborative robot technology. The alleged infringement involves a range of JAKA's cobot models marketed in the EU. A ruling at the UPC could also have implications for the United Kingdom and Spain, which are not part of the UPC agreement but are included in the case, according to a press release from Teradyne Robotics.
This is the second IP infringement case Teradyne Robotics has filed in Europe in 2026, following a legal action earlier this year in Germany against a subsidiary of another robot company for copyright infringement of Universal Robots' software.
"We cannot and will not accept companies that unlawfully copy protected technologies, and we are resolute in safeguarding our IP so customers can continue to have innovative automation solutions that meet the highest standards for safety and compliance," said Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group.
JAKA pushed back the very next day. In a statement published on August 28, the company said it had not previously received any official notification from Teradyne Robotics or Universal Robots regarding the matter and only became aware of the lawsuit through a journalist request for comment, according to a press release from JAKA.
The company said it had conducted two external Freedom-to-Operate analyses prior to entering the European market, neither of which identified any potential infringement involving Universal Robots. JAKA said it is consulting with legal advisers and that its European business activities will continue as normal.
