In Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Hulu, LLC, Netflix, Inc. (July 22, 2020), the Federal Circuit held that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“the PTAB”) may consider, in its review of substitute claims proposed in an inter partes review (“IPR”), the patentability of the claims under 35 U.S.C. § 101.
Hulu, LLC and Netflix, Inc.…
With an unusual fact pattern, and a Federal Circuit opinion that touches on standing to appeal, joinder of parties, and agency obligations, Fitbit, Inc. v. Valencell, Inc., 964 F.3d 1112 (Fed. Cir. 2020), seems closer to a law school teaching aid than an actual inter partes review (“IPR”) appeal. Without addressing the asserted grounds…
On June 18, 2020, the Federal Circuit granted JHO Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC’s (“JHO”) motion to vacate the PTAB’s final written decision and remand the case in light of the court’s decision in Arthrex. In an ex parte reexamination proceeding, the PTAB denied JHO’s request for rehearing of its decision affirming the Examiner’s rejections…
The Halloween 2019 decision, Arthrex v. Smith & Nephew,[1] created a new right to rehearing in the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”), and has sent ripples through the judiciary and legislative branches that will continue to be felt for the foreseeable future. In the case, the Federal Circuit opinion announced that the…
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued its decision in Bozeman Financial LLC v. Federal Reserve Bank Of Atlanta, Case No. 19-1018 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 10, 2020) [hereinafter Bozeman], holding that Federal Reserve banks (hereinafter “the Banks”) are people under the AIA, capable of petitioning for post-issuance review. The Court further…
On March 30, 2020, the Federal Circuit denied the federal government’s unopposed motion to stay a mandate of the court’s final judgment in Arthrex v. Smith & Nephew, meaning the United States Patent Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) must reopen and rehear up to 81 cases decided by the PTAB before the…
On March 18, 2020, in Facebook, Inc. v. Windy City Innovations, LLC, the Federal Circuit held that 35 U.S.C. § 315(c) does not authorize same-party joinder and does not authorize joinder of new issues.
Windy City Innovations, LLC (“Windy City”) brought a patent infringement suit against Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) in a district court. Exactly…
In Customedia Techs., LLC v. DISH Network Corp., the Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s final written decisions holding that claims 1-6, 8, 17, and 23 of U.S. Pat. No. 8,719,090 (the “’090 Patent”) and claims 1-4, 6-7, 16-19, 23-24, 26-28, 32-36, and 41 of U.S. Pat. No. 9,053, 494…
The Federal Circuit was recently asked to review the interplay of real-parties-in-interest and the inter partes review (“IPR”) time-bar. Acoustic Technology, Inc., Appellant v. Itron Networked Solutions, Inc., Nos. 2019-1059, 2019-1060 (Fed. Cir. Feb. 13, 2020) (opinion available here). The facts raised an interesting question of how business mergers can affect IPR and…
Since Arthrex, Inc. v. Smith & Nephew, Inc., 941 F.3d 1320 (Fed. Cir. 2019) was decided three and a half months ago, the Federal Circuit has vacated and remanded four cases to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (the “PTAB” or “Board”) for proceedings consistent with the decision.[1] In two of the decisions…
