The Appointments Clause: Ensuring That PTAB Decisions Are Subject to Constitutional Checks and Balances
In Arthrex, Inc. v. Smith & Nephew, Inc., Appeal No. 18-2251, the Federal Circuit ruled that, under the then-existing...more
12/30/2019
/ Abstract Ideas ,
Administrative Appeals ,
Administrative Patent Judges ,
Anticipatory Reference ,
Appeals ,
Appointments Clause ,
Claim Limitations ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Declaration ,
Final Written Decisions ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Applications ,
Patent Examinations ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Preamble ,
Presidential Appointments ,
Prior Art ,
Process Improvement ,
Publicly Accessible Data ,
Reaffirmation ,
Reversal ,
Severability Doctrine ,
Supplemental Evidence ,
Written Notice
The PTAB Cannot Approve or Deny Certificates of Correction -
In Honeywell International, Inc. v. Arkema Inc., Arkema France, Appeal Nos. 2018-1151, -1153, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) does not have the...more
11/25/2019
/ Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) ,
Abuse of Discretion ,
Appeals ,
Certificate of Correction ,
Claim Construction ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Cross Motions ,
Enablement Inquiries ,
Indefiniteness ,
Induced Infringement ,
JMOL ,
Judgment As A Matter Of Law ,
Leave to Amend ,
Mayo v. Prometheus ,
Motion for Summary Judgment ,
Nonobvious ,
Partial Reversal ,
Patent Applications ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Owner Preliminary Response ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Post-Grant Review ,
Priority Patent Claims ,
Product of Nature Doctrine ,
Reaffirmation ,
Remand ,
Scope of the Claim ,
Section 101 ,
Section 112 ,
Vacated ,
Written Descriptions
State Sovereignty Principles Do Not Allow a State to Bring a Patent Infringement Suit in an Improper Venue -
In Board of Regents v. Boston Scientific Corp., Appeal No. 2018-1700, the Federal Circuit ruled that the patent...more
10/30/2019
/ Appeals ,
Breach of Contract ,
Claim Construction ,
Combined References ,
Covered Business Method Patents ,
Covered Business Method Proceedings ,
Dismissals ,
Diversity Jurisdiction ,
Eleventh Amendment ,
Extrinsic Evidence ,
Federal Question Jurisdiction ,
Gunn Test ,
Jurisdiction ,
Nexus ,
Nonobvious ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Reaffirmation ,
Remand ,
Section 101 ,
Section 103 ,
Sovereign Immunity ,
State Law Claims ,
State Sovereignty ,
Subject Matter Jurisdiction ,
Summary Judgment ,
Transfer of Venue ,
Universities ,
Vacated ,
Venue
Mere Potential for Future Appeal Does Not Prevent Triggering Estoppel of Inter Partes Reexamination When Party Fails to Seek Relief in the First Instance -
In Virnetx Inc. v. Apple Inc., Appeal Nos. 2017-1591, -1592,...more
10/3/2019
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Appeals ,
Claim Construction ,
Equivalency Determinations ,
Estoppel ,
Foreign Entities ,
Foreign Sovereigns ,
Indefiniteness ,
Inter Partes Reexamination ,
International Litigation ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
IP License ,
Judgment As A Matter Of Law ,
Nonobvious ,
Novelty ,
Parallel Proceedings ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Personal Jurisdiction ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Reaffirmation ,
Remand ,
Section 101 ,
Subject Matter Jurisdiction ,
Universities ,
Vacated ,
Written Descriptions
Broad Claim Language and Unpredictability in the Art Lead to Non-Enablement -
In Enzo Life Sciences, Inc. v. Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., Appeal Nos. 2017-2498, -2499, -2545, -2546, broad patent claims were invalid as...more
8/26/2019
/ Abstract Ideas ,
Aesthetic Functionality ,
Appeals ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Denial of Rehearing ,
Design Patent ,
Diagnostic Method ,
En Banc Review ,
Mayo v. Prometheus ,
Motion for Summary Judgment ,
Patent Exhaustion ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Reaffirmation ,
Reversal ,
Section 101 ,
Standard of Review ,
Summary Judgment ,
USPTO ,
Written Descriptions
One-year Clock for Filing IPR Petition Applies to Litigants and Parties that Become Privies of the Litigant Prior to Institution.
In Power Integrations, Inc v. Semiconductor Components, Appeal No. 2018-1607, the Federal...more
7/16/2019
/ § 315(b) ,
Appeals ,
Claim Construction ,
Doctrine of Equivalents ,
First Amendment ,
Iancu v. Brunetti ,
In Rem Jurisdiction ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Mergers ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent Validity ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Privity of Contract ,
Prosecution History Estoppel ,
Reaffirmation ,
Reversal ,
Samsung ,
Sovereign Immunity ,
State Universities ,
Time-Barred Claims ,
Tribal Governments ,
USPTO ,
Viewpoint Discrimination
Just Because Something May Result From a Prior Art Teaching Does Not Make it Inherent in that Teaching -
In Personal Web Technologies, LLC v. Apple, Inc., Appeal No. 2018-1599, the Federal Circuit clarified that the mere...more
5/10/2019
/ Abstract Ideas ,
Appeals ,
Apple ,
Claim Construction ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Diagnostic Method ,
Dismissal With Prejudice ,
Inherency ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Jury Trial ,
Mayo v. Prometheus ,
Motion for JMOL ,
Motion for Summary Judgment ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Preamble ,
Prior Art ,
Product of Nature Doctrine ,
Reaffirmation ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
Section 101 ,
Substantial Evidence Standard ,
Summary Judgment ,
Treatment Method Patents ,
Willful Infringement
Federal Circuit Determines Time-Barred Petitioner Joined to an IPR Has Appellate Standing -
In Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. Research Corporation Tech., Appeal Nos. 2017-2088, -2089, -2091, the Federal Circuit held that a...more
4/11/2019
/ § 315(b) ,
Affirmative Defenses ,
Appeals ,
Counterclaims ,
Defense Strategies ,
Denial of Rehearing ,
Diagnostic Method ,
Dismissals ,
En Banc Review ,
Google ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Joinder ,
Mandamus Petitions ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Principal Place of Business ,
Product of Nature Doctrine ,
Reaffirmation ,
Rebuttal ,
Remand ,
Right To Appeal ,
Section 101 ,
Software Patents ,
Sovereign Immunity ,
Standing ,
States Rights ,
Time-Barred Claims ,
Universities ,
Venue ,
Waivers
PTAB May Invalidate Claims on Reconsideration Based on Grounds Raised in the Institution Decision that Were Not Originally Instituted -
In AC Technologies S.A., V. Amazon.Com, Inc., Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., Appeal No....more
3/14/2019
/ Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) ,
Amazon ,
Anticipation ,
Appeals ,
Article III ,
Due Process ,
Final Written Decisions ,
Generic Drugs ,
Hatch-Waxman ,
Hewlett-Packard ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Motivation to Combine ,
Mylan Pharmaceuticals ,
Obviousness ,
Orange Book ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Petition For Rehearing ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Reaffirmation ,
Right To Appeal ,
Section 103 ,
Standing
A Post-URAA Patent that Issues After but Expires Before a Related Pre-URAA Patent Is Not a Double-Patenting Reference Against the Pre-URAA Patent -
In Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. v. Breckenridge Pharmaceutical Inc.,...more
2/8/2019
/ Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) ,
Abstract Ideas ,
Appeals ,
Declaratory Judgments ,
Dismissals ,
Dispute Letters ,
Double Patent ,
Due Process ,
Improper Venue ,
Long Arm Statute ,
Minimum Contacts ,
Obviousness-Type Double Patenting (ODP) ,
Patent Expiration ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Term Extensions ,
Patent Terms ,
Patent Validity ,
Patents ,
Personal Jurisdiction ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Reaffirmation ,
Reversal ,
Stipulated Judgment ,
Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA)
Assignor Estoppel Does Not Apply in the IPR Context -
In Arista Networks, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., Appeal Nos. 2017-1525, 2017-1577, the Federal Circuit held that the plain language of 35 U.S.C. § 311(a) unambiguously...more
1/16/2019
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Appeals ,
Assignor Estoppel ,
Calculation of Damages ,
Claim Construction ,
Cross-Appeals ,
Damages ,
Declaratory Rulings ,
Employee Inventors ,
Forum State ,
Induced Infringement ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
IP License ,
Minimum Contacts ,
Modification ,
Noninfringement ,
Notice Requirements ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Royalties ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent Validity ,
Patents ,
Personal Jurisdiction ,
Reaffirmation ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
Tortious Interference
IPR Petitioner’s Initial Identification of the Real Parties in Interest Is to Be Accepted Unless and Until Disputed by a Patent Owner -
In Worlds Inc. v. Bungie, Inc., Appeal Nos. 2017-1481, -1546, -1583, the Federal...more
11/14/2018
/ § 315(b) ,
Appeals ,
Burden of Persuasion ,
Burden of Proof ,
Burden-Shifting ,
Dismissals ,
Evidence ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Lack of Authority ,
Method Claims ,
Motivation to Combine ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Reaffirmation ,
Real Party in Interest ,
Rebuttable Presumptions ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
Sanctions ,
Time-Barred Claims ,
Vacated
Federal Circuit Finds Claims Issued from Reexamination Co-Pending with Appeal Ineligible Where the Changes Did Not Affect Section 101 Eligibility -
In SAP AMERICA, Inc. v. InvestPic, LLC, Appeal No. 2017-2081, the...more
10/30/2018
/ Abstract Ideas ,
Abuse of Discretion ,
Appeals ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Breach of Duty ,
Causation ,
Claim Limitations ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Computer-Related Inventions ,
Duty to Disclose ,
Expert Testimony ,
Implied Waivers ,
Instrinsic Evidence ,
Inter Partes Reexamination ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Judgment on the Pleadings ,
Means-Plus-Function ,
Motion for Summary Judgment ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Reaffirmation ,
Rebuttable Presumptions ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
Section 101 ,
Section 112 ,
Section 337 ,
Vacated ,
Willful Misconduct
The Board’s Final Written Decision Must Address All Grounds for Unpatentability Raised in a Petition for Inter Partes Review -
In Adidas AG v. Nike, Inc., Appeal Nos. 2018-1180, 2018-1181, the Federal Circuit held that...more
8/30/2018
/ Adidas ,
Anticipation ,
Appeals ,
Broadest Reasonable Interpretation Standard ,
Calculation of Damages ,
Claim Construction ,
Combined References ,
Enhanced Damages ,
Fair Market Value ,
Final Written Decisions ,
Genuine Issue of Material Fact ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Jury Trial ,
Motivation to Combine ,
Nike ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent Validity ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Public Use ,
Reaffirmation ,
Rebuttable Presumptions ,
Remand ,
SAS Institute Inc. v Iancu ,
Substantial Evidence Standard ,
Vacated ,
Willful Infringement
Determining Whether a Claim Element or Combination of Elements Would Have Been Well-Understood, Routine, and Conventional Is a Question of Fact -
In Aatrix Software, Inc. v. Green Shades Software, Inc., Appeal No....more
8/7/2018
/ 35 U.S.C. § 284 ,
Anticipation ,
Appeals ,
Burden of Proof ,
Claim Amendments ,
Claim Construction ,
Claim Elements ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Combined References ,
Component Parts Doctrine ,
Exports ,
Extraterritoriality Rules ,
Foreign Profits ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Inventions ,
Lost Profits ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Petition For Rehearing ,
Printed Publications ,
Prior Art ,
Question of Fact ,
Remand ,
Section 101 ,
Vacated ,
WesternGeco LLC v Ion Geophysical Corporation
A Complaint Identifying Infringing Products and the Patents Allegedly Infringed, Accompanied by Statements that the Products Meet All Elements of at Least One Claim of the Asserted Patents, May be Sufficient to Meet the...more
7/12/2018
/ Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) ,
Appeals ,
Article III ,
Contract Termination ,
Declaratory Judgments ,
Federal Rule 12(b)(6) ,
Final Written Decisions ,
Foreign Corporations ,
FRCP 12(b)(2) ,
FRCP 12(b)(3) ,
Improper Venue ,
International Litigation ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Personal Jurisdiction ,
Post-Grant Review ,
Principal Place of Business ,
Specific Jurisdiction ,
Standing ,
Twombly/Iqbal Pleading Standard ,
Venue ,
Writ of Mandamus
Priority Claims Cannot Be Incorporated by Reference -
In Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. West-Ward Pharmaceuticals International Limited, Appeal Nos. 2016-2707 and 2016-2708, the Federal Circuit held that when a patent for a...more
6/25/2018
/ Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) ,
Abuse of Discretion ,
Appeals ,
Claim Construction ,
Clear Error Standard ,
Consolidated Appeals ,
Diagnostic Method ,
Disclaimers ,
Discovery ,
Extrinsic Evidence ,
Generic Drugs ,
Incorporation by Reference ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Jurisdiction ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Terms ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Priority Patent Claims ,
Privity of Contract ,
Product of Nature Doctrine ,
Real Party in Interest ,
Scope of the Claim ,
Subsequent Litigation ,
Time-Barred Claims ,
Treatment Method Patents
Improperly Drafted Employment Agreement Leads to Dismissal of Patent Case Due to Lack of Standing -
In Advanced Video Technologies LLC v. HTC Corporation et al., Appeal Nos. 2016-2309, 2016-2310, 2016-2311, the Federal...more
3/14/2018
/ Abstract Ideas ,
Agency Deference ,
Appeals ,
Apportionment ,
Computer-Related Inventions ,
Concurrent Litigation ,
Dismissals ,
Employee Inventors ,
Employment Contract ,
Final Written Decisions ,
FRCP 19 ,
Inter Partes Reexamination ,
IP Assignment Agreements ,
Issue Preclusion ,
Joinder ,
Judgment As A Matter Of Law ,
Jury Trial ,
Motion For New Trial ,
Motion for Summary Judgment ,
Mutuality ,
Noninfringement ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Royalties ,
Patent Validity ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Section 101 ,
Standing ,
Vacated ,
Willful Infringement
Where Parties Raise an Actual Dispute Regarding Claim Scope, the Court Must Resolve It In Nobelbiz, Inc. v. Global Connect, L.L.C., Appeal Nos. 2016-1104, 2016-1105, the Federal Circuit held that where parties raise an actual...more
2/5/2018
/ Anticipation ,
Anticipatory Reference ,
Appeals ,
Burden of Proof ,
Claim Amendments ,
Combined References ,
Divided Infringement ,
Indefiniteness ,
Inherency ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Motion to Amend ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Scope of the Claim ,
Standard of Review ,
Substantial Evidence Standard
Claims Directed to Methods for Streaming Audiovisual Data Held Unpatentable Under § 101 -
In Two-Way Media Ltd v. Comcast Cable Communications, Appeal Nos. 2016-2531, 2016-2532, the Federal Circuit affirmed the district...more
1/5/2018
/ Appeals ,
Calculation of Damages ,
Claim Construction ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Component Parts Doctrine ,
Damages ,
Evidence ,
Foreign Sales ,
JMOL ,
Life Technologies Corp v Promega Corp ,
Nonobvious ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
SCOTUS ,
Section 101 ,
TC Heartland LLC v Kraft Foods ,
Vacated ,
Venue ,
Waivers
Fractured Federal Circuit Holds Patent Owner Does Not Bear Burden of Persuasion in IPR Motions to Amend -
In Aqua Products, Inc. v. Matal, Appeal No. 2015-1177, the Federal Circuit, sitting en banc, held that a patent...more
12/6/2017
/ Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) ,
Appeals ,
Burden of Persuasion ,
Burden of Production ,
Chevron Deference ,
Claim Amendments ,
Claim Construction ,
Commercial Success ,
Indefiniteness ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Intrinsic Test ,
Motion to Amend ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Ownership ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Reaffirmation ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
Substantial Evidence Standard ,
USPTO ,
Vacated
Federal Circuit Denies En Banc Rehearing in Mentor Graphics v. EVE-USA -
In Mentor Graphics Corp. v. Eve-USA, Inc., Appeal Nos. 2015-1470, 2015-1554, 2015-1556, the Federal Circuit denied Synopsys’ and EVE’s petition for...more
11/14/2017
/ Appeals ,
Apportionment ,
Arbitration Agreements ,
Assignor Estoppel ,
Calculation of Damages ,
Declaratory Judgments ,
Dismissals ,
Doctrine of Equivalents ,
Employment Contract ,
En Banc Review ,
Ensnarement ,
Foreign Patent Applications ,
Foreign Persons ,
Former Employee ,
Intervenors ,
Jury Verdicts ,
Lost Profits ,
Mexico ,
Misappropriation ,
Motion to Compel ,
Motion to Transfer ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patents ,
Petition For Rehearing ,
Principal Place of Business ,
Standing ,
Subject Matter Jurisdiction ,
Substantial Evidence Standard ,
Trade Secrets ,
Venue ,
Writ of Mandamus
IPR Appellants Must Satisfy Article III Standing -
In Personal Audio, LLC v. Electronic Frontier Foundation, Appeal No. 2016-1123, the Federal Circuit held that standing for an appeal to a federal court is based on the...more
10/24/2017
/ Abstract Ideas ,
Appeals ,
Article III ,
Computer-Related Inventions ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Lost Profits ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Standing ,
USPTO
District Court Abused Discretion in Ignoring Federal Circuit Mandate to Reconsider Attorneys’ Fees Under Octane Fitness -
In Adjustacam, LLC v. Newegg, Inc., Appeal No. 2016-1882, the Federal Circuit held that a district...more
9/15/2017
/ Abuse of Discretion ,
Adverse Inference Instructions ,
Appeals ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Broadest Reasonable Interpretation Standard ,
Damages ,
Discovery ,
Discovery Disputes ,
Document Productions ,
Exceptional Case ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Judicial Mandates ,
Means-Plus-Function ,
Motion to Compel ,
Obviousness ,
Octane Fitness v. ICON ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Prior Art ,
Reaffirmation ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
Sanctions ,
Standard of Review ,
Totality of Circumstances Test ,
USPTO ,
Willful Misconduct
District Court Abused Discretion in Not Finding Case Exceptional -
In Rothschild Connected Devices v. Guardian Protection Services, Appeal No. 2016-2521, the Federal Circuit held that a district court abused its discretion...more
8/18/2017
/ Abuse of Discretion ,
Appeals ,
Attorney's Fees ,
BPCIA ,
Commercial Marketing ,
Exceptional Case ,
FRCP 11 ,
Indefiniteness ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Judgment on the Pleadings ,
Means-Plus-Function ,
Motion for Sanctions ,
Notice Requirements ,
Obviousness ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Prior Art ,
Reversal ,
Safe Harbors ,
Sandoz v Amgen ,
SCOTUS ,
Section 101 ,
Section 102