Three Type of U.S. Patents and When to Use Them

Have you heard of a “design” patent?  Maybe someone you know mentioned this as a less expensive alternative to a “regular” U.S. patent. The U.S. patent laws actually defin

Exporting Patents: Boiled, Broiled, Barbecued or Fried

by Dennis Crouch Back in 1969, long before Bubba Gump, Louisiana Judge Alvin Rubin explained the virtues of shrimp: “Shrimp, …

President Biden Wants to Put Microsofter in Charge of the Patent Office, Soon to Penalise Patent Applicants Who Don't Use Microsoft's Proprietary Formats

The tradition of GAFAM or GIAFAM inside the USPTO carries on (e.g. Kappos and Lee; Kappos lobbies for Microsoft and IBM, whereas Lee now works for Amazon/Bezos after a career at Google); it's hard to believe anymore that the USPTO exists to serve...

Engle Grange patent held invalid — Unified Patents

On January 19, 2022, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) issued a final written decision in Unified Patents, LLC v. Engle Grange, LLC holding all challenged claims of U.S. Patent 8,548,645 invalid. The ‘645 patent is generally directed...

Patent Owner Loses Everything at PTAB

Holding In Mati Therapeutics, Inc. v. Ocular Therapeutix, Inc., the Federal Circuit issued a Rule 36 opinion affirming the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (“PTAB’s”) Fi

Federal Circuit Affirms Invalidity of Method of Treatment Patent for Lack of Written Description in Hatch-Waxman Case

On November 30, 2021, the Federal Circuit affirmed the Northern District of West Virginia’s invalidity finding as to a method-of-treatment patent, based on a lack of written description. Plai

Post-AIA Patents Are Not Shielded from Interferences

Addressing the applicability of interference proceedings to patent applications filed after the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) was enacted, the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (Board) found it

President Biden Wants to Put Microsofter in Charge of the Patent Office, Soon to Penalise Patent Applicants Who Don't Use Microsoft's Proprietary Formats

The tradition of GAFAM or GIAFAM inside the USPTO carries on (e.g. Kappos and Lee; Kappos lobbies for Microsoft and IBM, whereas Lee now works for Amazon/Bezos after a career at Google); it's hard to believe anymore that the USPTO exists to serve...

Senate committee advances Biden's USPTO, Federal Circuit picks

Two of President Biden's key nominations related to intellectual property law moved closer to confirmation on Thursday, when the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced them to the full Senate for a final vote.

$4,000 for Big Will Enterprises prior art — Unified Patents

On January 4, 2022, Unified Patents added two separate PATROLL contests with an opportunity to collect up to $4,000 in cash for prior art on at least claim 1 of two patents - U.S. Patent 8,452,273 and U.S. Patent 9,049,558 . The patents are...

Vaccines and Vidal: what pharma in-house are watching in 2022

Innovator and generics counsel weigh in on key court cases and why they have high hopes for Kathi Vidal

This week in IP: Vidal and Stark nominations progress, Singapore passes major IP bill, and more

US patent grants decline while China’s rise; Spotify beats Potify at TTAB; COVID patent data revealed; EUIPO touts SME fund; INTA urges EU law alignment

$22,000 for III Holdings prior art — Unified Patents

On January 13, 2022, Unified added 11 new PATROLL contests, with a $2,000 cash prize for each, seeking prior art on at least claim 1 of the list below. The patents are owned by III Holdings, LLC. The contests will all end on April 15, 2022....

Sound View '860 patent successfully challenged — Unified Patents

On January 11, 2022, less than 10 months after Unified filed the request for ex parte reexamination, the USPTO issued a final office action rejecting claims 1-3, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 18 of U.S. Patent 8,135,860 , owned by Sound View Innovations,...