In 2024, not one but two Nobel Prizes (in Chemistry and Physics) were awarded to researchers for their work in artificial intelligence ("AI"). Particularly noteworthy for the life science community is the Nobel Prize in...more
4/4/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Healthcare ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventions ,
Inventors ,
Joint Inventors ,
Life Sciences ,
Machine Learning ,
New Guidance ,
Patent Ownership ,
Patents ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
R&D ,
Research and Development ,
Section 102 ,
USPTO
The PTAB denied institution of a second inter partes review (“IPR”) petition filed by Aylo Freesites (“Petitioner”) after having previously instituted inter partes review of Petitioner’s first petition related to the same...more
1/13/2025
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Denial of Institution ,
Dish Network ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Patent Act ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
USPTO
The USPTO has extended the public comment deadline in order to afford all stakeholders an opportunity to weigh in on the subject matter eligibility of AI inventions....more
9/23/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Comment Period ,
Deadlines ,
Innovative Technology ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventions ,
Inventors ,
Machine Learning ,
Patent Applications ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Public Comment ,
USPTO
The Situation: Concerns that uncertain and unpredictable patent subject matter eligibility jurisprudence thwarts U.S. economic and technological advancements are especially acute in the fast advancing AI space. Stakeholders...more
The USPTO is seeking public input on whether prior art must be authored by humans and how, if at all, AI-generated disclosures should be treated differently from non-AI generated disclosures....more
The USPTO's April 11, 2024, guidance clarifies how existing USPTO rules apply to the use of AI by practitioners when interacting with the USPTO....more
The Background: In response to the Biden administration's "Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence" on October 30, 2023, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office...more
2/19/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Biden Administration ,
Executive Orders ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventions ,
Inventors ,
Joint Inventors ,
New Guidance ,
Patent Act ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Popular ,
Public Comment ,
USPTO
The United States Patent and Trademark Office, along with the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce, sought initial public comment last week on draft guidelines entitled "International Guiding Principles for Organizations...more
10/31/2023
/ Algorithms ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Comment Period ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Litigation ,
Cybersecurity ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Machine Learning ,
Technology ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
USPTO
The Situation: The U.S. Supreme Court recently denied certiorari in Thaler v. Vidal, leaving intact the Federal Circuit's ruling that only human beings, and not artificial intelligence ("AI") systems, can be inventors under...more
6/23/2023
/ Algorithms ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Denial of Certiorari ,
Intellectual Property Owner’s Association (IPO) ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventors ,
Machine Learning ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
SCOTUS ,
USPTO
AI is becoming ubiquitous across all industries. AI systems and services are embedded in everyday products and services, including Amazon's Alexa, Netflix streaming services, and Nest smart thermostats. AI systems are also...more
The Situation: Artificial intelligence ("AI") is being used to develop new inventions without human aid. As AI capabilities increase, patent offices around the globe are being confronted with difficult questions about whether...more
The emergence of artificial intelligence-related technology as a means of innovation has led to uncertainties for companies across industries, primarily because U.S. patent law has historically held that intellectual property...more
4/20/2020
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Computer-Related Inventions ,
Copyright ,
Innovation ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventors ,
Patents ,
Popular ,
Trade Secrets ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
January 17 Update: On January 17, each of the parties filed responses to the rehearing petitions -
As we have previously discussed on this blog and elsewhere, the Federal Circuit’s decision in Arthrex v. Smith & Nephew...more
1/20/2020
/ Administrative Patent Judges ,
Appeals ,
Appointments Clause ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Judicial Appointments ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Petition For Rehearing ,
Remand ,
Statutory Authority ,
USPTO ,
Vacated
The Situation: Artificial intelligence ("AI") is emerging as a key driver of innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry, which uses AI in research and development ("R&D") to analyze big data.
The Result: AI is already...more
12/20/2019
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Biopharmaceutical ,
Biotechnology ,
Clinical Trials ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Life Sciences ,
Machine Learning ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Popular ,
Public Comment ,
R&D ,
Research and Development ,
USPTO
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent 9-0 decision in Peter v. NantKwest, Inc., Case No. 18-801, informs strategic cost considerations in appeals challenging adverse decisions issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office...more
12/17/2019
/ 35 U.S.C. § 145 ,
American Rule ,
Appeals ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Civil Claims ,
Fee-Shifting ,
Lanham Act ,
Litigation Fees & Costs ,
Patent Act ,
Patent Applicants ,
Peter v NantKwest Inc ,
Prevailing Party ,
SCOTUS ,
Section 145 ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
The Situation: Advances in artificial intelligence ("AI") are providing the ability to automatically create and design innovations without human assistance. AI's impact on patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, and other...more
11/26/2019
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Authorship ,
Comment Period ,
Computer-Related Inventions ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Office ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventions ,
Inventors ,
Patent Applications ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Popular ,
Public Comment ,
Trade Secrets ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) recently issued a Final Written Decision in favor of Comcast Cable Communications, LLC (“Comcast”) and against Promptu Systems Corporation (“Promptu”) in a covered business method...more
10/24/2019
/ Comcast ,
Covered Business Method Patents ,
Covered Business Method Proceedings ,
Final Written Decisions ,
Patent Applications ,
Patent Prosecution ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Printed Publications ,
Prior Art ,
Section 101 ,
Section 102 ,
Section 103 ,
Section 112 ,
USPTO
Two recent patent applications seek protection for inventions that were created autonomously by artificial intelligence without a human inventor. The applicants want the AI to be deemed the inventor and the AI's owners to...more
The Situation: Artificial intelligence ("AI") is growing more powerful and gaining application in many areas. AI can now create new innovation on its own, without a human inventor—a capability that will only expand as...more
9/9/2019
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Computer-Related Inventions ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventions ,
Inventors ,
Patent Applications ,
Patents ,
Popular ,
Public Comment ,
USPTO ,
Young Lawyers
Patent procurement activity is increasing to protect embedded artificial intelligence ("AI") technologies in a variety of digital healthcare solutions. The United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") has issued the...more
8/19/2019
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Digital Health ,
Healthcare ,
Life Sciences ,
Medical Devices ,
New Guidance ,
Patent Applications ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Section 101 ,
Technology ,
USPTO
On March 13, 2019, the PTAB issued the fifth installment of its ongoing Motion to Amend Study, which tracks and analyzes motions to amend filed in AIA trials through September 30, 2018 (end of Fiscal Year 2018).
The data...more
This decision should be a welcome development for patent applicants seeking review.
On July 27, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued its en banc opinion in NantKwest, Inc. v. Iancu, No. 16-1794...more
8/10/2018
/ 35 U.S.C. § 145 ,
Administrative Proceedings ,
American Rule ,
Attorney's Fees ,
En Banc Review ,
Litigation Fees & Costs ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patents ,
Split of Authority ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
On February 5, 2018, the PTO filed a petition for rehearing of Bosch Auto. Serv. Sol’ns, LLC v. Matal, 878 F.3d 1027 (Fed. Cir., Dec. 22, 2017). The petition asks the panel “not . . . to alter its judgment, but only to...more
2/14/2018
/ Burden of Persuasion ,
Burden-Shifting ,
Intervenors ,
Motion to Amend ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Ownership ,
Patents ,
Petition For Rehearing ,
Preponderance of the Evidence ,
Standard of Review ,
USPTO