Ways to Amend the Claims in the Patent Invalidation Proceedings
In the U.S., patent rights generally go to the first inventor to file — not the first to invent. Filing early secures your place in line. But the type of application you choose (provisional vs. non-provisional) can...more
When Dynamic Drinkware was decided in 2015, commentators debated whether differences in the language of the American Invents Act (AIA) version of 35 USC § 102 would shield AIA patents from its restrictions. Now, U.S. Patent...more
A panel at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”) recently considered whether a dispute over a patent’s priority date justified filing two petitions for inter partes review (IPR) against the same claims. The...more
Associate Tom Cowan presented "Patent Basics for the Aerospace Industry," at the Space Foundation Space Commerce Workshop at the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California. As the keynote speaker for the event, Tom...more
This article is first in a two-part series focusing on various issues related to priority claims in U.S. patent applications. Part 1 is a general overview of how to make a proper priority claim, without addressing how to...more
In Droplets, Inc. v. E*Trade Bank, the Federal Circuit affirmed the decision of the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) that Droplet’s patent was not entitled to the priority date of a provisional application because...more
Federal Circuit Summaries - Before Reyna, Clevenger, and Wallach. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Colorado - Summary: Even in a simple mechanical case, a narrow disclosure in the...more
Federal Circuit Summaries - Before Dyk, O’Malley, and Wallach. Appeal from the PTAB. Summary: A priority claim must be explicitly stated in the patent and cannot be incorporated by reference from an earlier patent. ...more