IP UPDATE
Exploring the Latest in Intellectual Property Law
IP UPDATE
Exploring the Latest in Intellectual Property Law
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Assignor Estoppel Does Not Apply to AIA Challenges

by | May 7, 2020 | ,

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reiterated that while assignor estoppel prevents a party that assigned a patent to another party from later challenging the validity of the assigned patent in district court, it does not preclude the party from challenging the validity of the assigned patent in an America Invents Act inter partes review (IPR) proceeding. Hologic, Inc. v. Minerva Surgical, Inc., Case Nos. 19-2054; -2081 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 22, 2020) (Stoll, J.) (Stoll, J., additional views).

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Prevailing at the PTAB Can Mean Prevailing Party Attorneys’ Fees

by | May 7, 2020 |

Addressing whether attorneys’ fees may be awarded in a patent infringement lawsuit where an accused infringer successfully invalidates claims in an inter partes review (IPR) proceeding, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found that the accused infringer is considered the “prevailing party” for purposes of 35 U.S.C. § 285, but remanded for consideration on whether fees incurred in IPR proceedings can be awarded. Dragon Intellectual Property, LLC v. DISH Network LLC, et al., Case No. 19-1283 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 22, 2020) (Moore, J.).

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Patent Term Extension Only Applies to Approved Product

by | May 7, 2020 |

In a case relating to a patented method for treating multiple sclerosis, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found that patent term extension (PTE) only applies to methods of using the approved product as defined under the relevant statute, 35 U.S.C. § 156, even if the patent claim is broad enough to cover methods of using additional compounds. Biogen International GMBH v. Banner Life Sciences LLC, Case No. 20-1373 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 20, 2020) (Lourie, J.).

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Defendant Not “Prevailing Party” for Purposes of Attorneys’ Fees After Voluntary Dismissal Without Prejudice

by | Apr 30, 2020 |

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court’s denial of attorneys’ fees under § 285, finding that a defendant is not a “prevailing party” for purposes of collecting attorneys’ fees where the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed its case without prejudice and there was no final court decision designating either litigant as the prevailing party. O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. v. Timney Triggers, LLC, Case No. 19-1134 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 13, 2020) (Hughes, J.).

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Can’t Have Layered Architecture Cake and Eat It Too: No Importing Limitations from Specification in § 101 Analysis

by | Apr 30, 2020 |

Addressing both the availability of appeal in the absence of a Rule 50(b) motion and the appropriateness of importing limitations from the specification in a 35 USC § 101 analysis, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a district court’s ruling that a patent was not invalid under § 101. Ericsson Inc. v. TCL Commc’n Tech. Holdings Ltd., Case No. 18-2003 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 14, 2020) (Prost, CJ.) (Newman, J., dissenting).

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Patent’s Explicit Description of Claimed Advantages Defeats § 101 Challenge

by | Apr 30, 2020 |

Reversing a district court’s motion to dismiss, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found patent claims directed to cardiac monitoring devices patent eligible under 35 USC § 101 because the claims were directed to a technical improvement to the function of such devices. CardioNet, LLC v. InfoBionic, Inc., Case No. 19-1149 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 17, 2020) (Stoll, J.) (Dyk, J., dissenting in part, concurring in the result).

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No Summary Judgment Where Primary Reference Might Not Be “Basically the Same” as Asserted Design Patent

by | Apr 30, 2020 |

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found that the district court improperly resolved a genuine dispute of material fact with respect to summary judgment of invalidity for design patent obviousness because a reasonable fact finder could have concluded that the primary prior art reference did not create “basically the same” visual impression as the asserted designed patent. Spigen Korea Co., Ltd. v. Ultraproof Inc. et al., Case Nos. 19-1435; -1717 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 17, 2020) (Reyna, J.) (Lourie, J., dissented without opinion).

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Claims Need Only Inform a Skilled Artisan of the Metes and Bounds with Reasonable Certainty

by | Apr 23, 2020 |

In a case involving claims with functional language and means-plus-function limitations, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found that the district court erred in its determination that three claim terms were indefinite, but agreed with the district court that a fourth term was not indefinite. Nevro Corp. v. Boston Sci. Corp., Case Nos. 18-2220; -2349 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 9, 2020) (Moore, J.).

Nevro owns patents for improved technologies for high-frequency spinal cord stimulation therapy to alleviate pain, while avoiding side effects associated with conventional stimulation therapies. Several of the asserted claims recite systems and devices in which the stimulation therapy signals are “paresthesia-free,” meaning they do not cause a tingling, pins-and-needles sensation. The district court found the claimed “paresthesia-free” systems and devices to be indefinite because infringement of the claim depends on the effect of the system on the patient, so a skilled person cannot understand the metes and bounds of the claim with reasonable certainty. Nevro appealed.

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Prima Facie Obviousness Established Where Claimed pH Range Overlaps with Prior Art Range for Similar Compounds

by | Apr 23, 2020 |

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a district court’s summary judgment that found a patent was not obvious because the claimed pH range would not have been obvious-to-try despite overlapping ranges between the claimed pH range and the pH range for similar prior art compounds. Valeant Pharms. Intl. v. Mylan Pharms. Inc., Case No. 18-2097 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 8, 2020) (Lourie, J.).

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