Mattel Beats Suit Claiming It Stole Idea for Flying Barbie Doll

Mattel Inc., the maker of popular toys including the Barbie brand, will avoid a suit alleging it misappropriated a toy inventor’s idea for a flying doll after a California state appellate court found the idea wasn’t sufficiently unique.

Technology from Heaven Unlimited, a nonprofit corporation, said it submitted a design idea to Mattel after it heard the company was seeking ideas for a doll with a flying mechanism that could be operated by young users.

Technology from Heaven submitted an idea for a Barbie that utilized a drone as the flying mechanism, and presented the doll as an action ...