Motions to amend (MTA) are becoming a more frequently used tool for patent owners litigating before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). When a patent is being challenged in an inter partes review (IPR) or post-grant...more
The first step in requesting an inter partes review (IPR) of a granted patent is the filing of a petition before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), in which the petitioner states the grounds for the invalidity of the...more
An inter partes review (IPR) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is a proceeding of the petitioner versus the patent owner. In a situation where the petitioner or the patent owner consists of multiple entities,...more
District courts commonly stay patent litigation cases pending inter parties review (IPR) that assesses the validity of the patents-in-suit before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Such stay may be lifted or extended...more
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has the discretion to deny institution of any inter partes review (IPR). Such discretionary denial may be based on a variety of considerations, such as the existence of an ongoing...more
On June 11, 2020, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) held a Boardside Chat webinar to discuss new developments in AIA trials. The discussion featured panelists Vice Chief Judge Michael Tierney and Lead Judge William...more
As was previously noted here, the PTAB recently designated one decision as precedential and four as informative concerning the necessary showing for proving up a reference as printed publication prior art. Here is an in depth...more
The ITC recently issued an order denying Respondents’ request to use the Early Disposition Program. Certain Wireless Communication Devices and Related Components Thereof, Inv. 337-TA-1180 (October 10, 2019). The Commission...more
In a recently issued Initial Determination, ALJ McNamara ruled that beer containers imported into the U.S. satisfied the domestic industry requirement when the Complainants were able to show significant domestic value-add....more
A petition to institute an inter partes review (IPR) can only be filed on the basis of prior art consisting of patents and printed publications. But what makes a reference a “printed publication”? On December 20, 2019, the...more
In a recently issued Commission Opinion, the ITC affirmed the ALJ’s finding that the asserted claims of U.S. Patent No. 9,045,871 (the ’871 patent) are invalid as directed to an abstract idea. Certain Road Construction...more
1/6/2020
/ Abstract Ideas ,
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Domestic Industry Requirement ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Section 101 ,
Section 337
During an inter partes review (IPR), it is usually the Petitioner that raises grounds of unpatentability against a Motion to Amend that the Patent Owner must defend in front of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Is the...more
In a recent Enforcement Initial Determination, ALJ Shaw held that Sony had violated previously issued cease and desist orders (“CDOs”) and determined that the appropriate penalty was a fine of $210,134 – Sony’s net profit...more
10/18/2019
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Cease and Desist Orders ,
Exclusion Orders ,
Initial Determination (ID) ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patents ,
Presidential Review ,
Section 337 ,
Sony ,
Supply Chain
In a recent Commission opinion, the ITC reviewed and affirmed ALJ Bullock’s Initial Determination (ID), and issued a general exclusion order (“GEO”). Certain Self-Anchoring Beverage Containers, Inv. 337-TA-1092, Comm’n Op....more
If you don’t have new grounds to add, you may as well copycat. On September 4, 2019, the PTAB denied Microsoft’s petition requesting inter partes review (“IPR”) of U.S. Patent No. 7,167,487 (“the ’487 patent”); furthermore,...more
In a recently issued order, ALJ Lord granted-in-part and denied-in-part Respondents’ motion in limine to exclude certain testimony of Complainants’ expert. Certain Radio Frequency Microneedle Dermatological Treatment Devices...more
7/22/2019
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Administrative Proceedings ,
Admissible Evidence ,
Daubert Standards ,
Evidence ,
Expert Testimony ,
Expert Witness ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Litigation Strategies ,
Motions in Limine ,
Patents ,
Section 337
On July 2, 2019, Judge Cote of the Southern District of New York issued an opinion that denied a motion for a preliminary injunction ordering the defendant to withdraw its petitions for inter parties review (“IPR”) at the...more
7/11/2019
/ Forum Selection ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
Irreparable Harm ,
License Agreements ,
Misappropriation ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Samsung ,
Trade Secrets
In a recently issued order, Chief ALJ Bullock granted Respondent’s motion to amend its Response to the Complaint almost nine months after the investigation had been instituted to include the defense of inequitable conduct in...more
On April 2, 2019, the Commission issued an order denying Respondents’ requests to use the Early Disposition Program. Certain Data Transmission Devices, Components Thereof, Associated Software, and Products Containing the...more
On April 22, 2019, the PTAB issued an order that the Petitioner must explain the differences among its five petitions to institute inter partes review over the same patent, and that the Patent Owner may respond as to whether...more
On February 14, 2019, the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) issued an Initial Determination (“ID”) in the matter of Certain Road Construction Machines and Components Thereof, Inv. 337-TA-1088. In the ID, ALJ Lord...more
On January 31, 2019, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board issued a decision granting institution of inter partes review in Sling TV, L.L.C. v. Realtime Adaptive Streaming, L.L.C., No. IPR2018-01331, where the Board held that a...more
The Situation The legal uncertainty surrounding patent subject matter eligibility under Section 101 of the United States Code ("35 U.S.C. § 101") has been the subject of much attention, as it has become difficult for...more
1/11/2019
/ Abstract Ideas ,
CLS Bank v Alice Corp ,
Mayo v. Prometheus ,
New Guidance ,
Patent Applications ,
Patent Examinations ,
Patent Prosecution ,
Patent-Eligible Subject Matter ,
Patents ,
Section 101 ,
USPTO
On December 6, 2018, the PTAB hosted a Boardside Chat webinar on hearsay and authentication. The Administrative Patent Judges presenting the webinar were Michael Zecher, Tom Giannetti, and Grace Obermann.
The webinar began...more
In a recent opinion, the International Trade Commission (“ITC”) issued a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders (“CDOs”) directed towards Respondent Toshiba’s infringing products. Certain Non-Volatile Memory...more