Christopher M. Bruno
Federal Circuit Sends iPhone Patent Dispute Back for Third Damages Trial
By Christopher M. Bruno on Feb 17, 2022
Posted In Patents
Considering numerous claim construction, infringement and damages issues related to patents allegedly covering Apple’s iPhones 5 and 6 series technology, a panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit determined that the district court should have held a third trial on damages because the plaintiff’s expert improperly treated the asserted patents as...
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PTO’s Financial Benefits from IPR Don’t Render PTAB Unconstitutional
By Christopher M. Bruno on Oct 21, 2021
Posted In Patents
A split panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit concluded that the structure and functions of the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) survived yet another constitutional challenge, this time based on the PTAB’s fee and compensation structure, lack of director review over the institution decision and applicability of the Takings...
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One for All, and All for One . . . Except When It Comes to Patent License Comparability
By Christopher M. Bruno on Sep 30, 2021
Posted In Patents
Examining whether portfolio patent licenses can be sufficiently comparable to a single-patent license for the purposes of supporting a patent damages verdict, a split panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit concluded that, at least without accounting for distinguishing features, the answer is no. Omega Patents, LLC v. CalAmp Corp., Case...
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When Pictures Aren’t Pictures: Real Estate Agent-Generated Floor Plans Are Outside Copyright Infringement Exception for Pictorial Representations
By Christopher M. Bruno on Aug 26, 2021
Posted In Copyrights
Examining whether the Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act enacted in 1990 protects the creation of floor plans, the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held that such technical drawings generated for practical, rather than artistic, purposes are not covered by a statutory exception that removes the right to control pictures, paintings, photographs or...
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A Goldilocks Dilemma: What is the “Right Amount” When Pleading Patent Infringement Cases?
By Christopher M. Bruno on Jul 22, 2021
Posted In Patents
Addressing the issue of pleading requirements for patent infringement cases, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit clarified that patentees need not prove their case at the pleading stage on an element-by-element basis but can plead themselves out of court by presenting facts that are inconsistent with their infringement claims. Bot M8 LLC...
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Submarine Sunk: Patent Prosecution Laches Pops GATT Bubble
By Christopher M. Bruno on Jun 10, 2021
Posted In Patents
Addressing for the first time whether the US Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) can assert prosecution laches as a defense in a civil action brought under 35 U.S.C. §145, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that the PTO could assert prosecution laches as a defense against four patent applications in a...
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If You Can’t Build it, They Won’t Come: No Obviousness Based on Fanciful Engine Design
By Christopher M. Bruno on Apr 29, 2021
Posted In Patents
Reaffirming that a person of ordinary skill in the art must have been able to actually create a disclosure at the time of invention in order for it to serve as an obviousness reference, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a decision by the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (the Board)...
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Fairness Is the Limit for Asserting False Advertising Claims
By Christopher M. Bruno on Feb 11, 2021
Posted In Trademarks
Addressing whether Lanham Act claims for false advertising or false association under § 43(a) (15 USC § 1125(a)) are subject to a statute of limitations, the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit concluded that the sole time limit on bringing such claims is the equitable doctrine of laches. Belmora LLC v. Bayer Consumer...
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Revenge of the Grammar Nerds: Grammatical Canons Overturn $8.6 Million Jury Infringement Verdict
By Christopher M. Bruno on Jan 14, 2021
Posted In Patents
Addressing whether the phrase “a plurality of” should apply to each element in a series, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit entered judgment of non-infringement, finding that the district court’s claim construction that did not require a plurality of each recited component was at odds with the claim language based on the...
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Defend Trade Secrets Act Supports Sealing Information on Appeal
By Christopher M. Bruno on Jan 7, 2021
Posted In Patents, Trade Secrets
Addressing whether purported trade secret information ought to remain under seal on appeal, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled in a one-judge order that the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) provided a statutory basis that overcame the presumption of public access. Magnesium Machine, LLC v. Terves, LLC, Case No. 20-3779 (6th...
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