The U.S. Supreme Court ruling means that Japan's Canon has won a patent lawsuit against a recycled ink cartridge supplier. The court dismissed an appeal against a lower court decision in favor of Canon.

In 2004, Canon filed a suit in a Tokyo court asking for a court injunction to block imports and sales by Tokyo-based Recycle Assist of recycled Canon ink cartridges that are refilled and sold with non-Canon ink.

Canon claimed that the product infringed on Canon patents.