On January 28, 2026, the Intellectual Property Tribunal of the Supreme People's Court released its Special Types of Cases, a compilation of typical cases adjudicated in recent years, including those involving high damages (over RMB 10 million), punitive damages, referral of criminal leads, judicial penalties, bad-faith litigation, and fraudulent litigation.

The utility model patent infringement case concerning an “electrical connector” (2023) Highest Court IP Final No. 646, handled by Lifang & Partners partners Yu Haidong and Ji Heng, was selected in two categories: “High-Damage Cases (Over RMB 10 Million)” and “Cases Where Punitive Damages Applied.”

The case was part of a series handled by Lifang on behalf of the plaintiff in relation to its “back clip battery” patent. In the first instance, the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court ordered the defendant to pay RMB 3 million in damages. Lifang then represented the plaintiff in the appeal, advocating for punitive damages while presenting a precise calculation of the compensation based on the evidence. Ultimately, the Supreme People’s Court fully supported the plaintiff's claims, awarding RMB 12 million in damages and granting punitive damages.

The case addresses critical issues regarding the precise calculation of damages and determination of liability, including the recognition of sales volumes on e‑commerce platforms, the determination of reasonable royalties, willful infringement, joint liability, the calculation of the number of lawful source items, and estimation methods for unknown sales volumes. As such, it serves as an important reference for the accurate calculation of damages in patent infringement cases.