Shanghai: Noise barrier patent

In a recent court ruling, a maker of noise barriers has been ordered to pay 8 million yuan ($1.3 million) to Zublin AG for using its patented design on part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway system. In its losing argument, Shazc Group from Shanghai claimed the disputed technology was based on a utility patent developed by a third company, but the court found Germany-headquartered Zublin had been granted an earlier invention patent.