Matter
The Dispute
A word mark infringement claim with documented evidence of prior knowledge
In October 2022, the Connectivity Standards Alliance — whose founding members include Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung — launched a global smart home interoperability standard under the name "Matter." HAT INC. had filed for the identical word mark in the identical product category ten years earlier, and one of those founding members had signed a licensing contract with the company during the application period.
Documented History
Core evidence: Apple Inc. entered into a signed development license with HAT INC. in March 2013 — six weeks after the USPTO Notice of Allowance for the word mark "MATTER" — establishing documented actual knowledge of the mark and its use in connected devices, nine years before the Connectivity Standards Alliance adopted the same name for the same category.
Corporate History
Originally developed under MATTER INC. (established January 2012), the technology and associated intellectual property transitioned to HAT INC., a Delaware corporation formed in 2013. HAT INC. maintained development activities including participation in Apple's MFi Program for connected device accessories. The original logo — depicting networked device nodes connected by a handshake protocol in the shape of an "M" — was designed in 2012 to represent the IoT device interoperability concept for which the word mark "MATTER" was filed, the same product category later adopted by the CSA standard.
Legal Notice
The word mark "MATTER" was filed with the USPTO in January 2012 for connected device systems and IoT applications. Documentation establishing priority of use and third-party actual knowledge of these rights is maintained and available for review by qualified legal counsel upon request.
Inquiries
Regarding the MATTER word mark, associated intellectual property, or legal correspondence: