Topic
Every decision we've filed under Intellectual Property.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit dismissed an appeal in a patent dispute between Cognipower and Samsung. The dismissal was granted by mutual agreement of the parties under the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.
The Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's finding that Centripetal's network security patent claims were unpatentable because a prior user guide served as an available printed publication. The court upheld the Board's claim construction and factual findings regarding the public accessibility of the reference, leaving the patent invalid.
The Federal Circuit affirmed the invalidity of two patents because Fortress Iron failed to correct an omission of a coinventor under 35 U.S.C. § 256(b). The court held that the missing inventor was a required party for correction, and without his participation, the patents remained unenforceable.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a Lanham Act trademark infringement claim, holding that a company's sale of its own equity does not constitute "goods or services" under the statute. The court reasoned that because equity is an ownership interest rather than a marketable product offered to customers, advertising and selling shares cannot support a trademark infringement action.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed summary judgment, holding that Clear Touch's federal intellectual property claims were barred by a broad release and dismissal clause in a prior state-court settlement. The court reasoned that the agreement's plain language encompassed all claims that could have been brought in the earlier litigation, regardless of when they accrued.
The Federal Circuit affirmed summary judgment of noninfringement, holding that the patent applicant's prosecution history disclaimer limited the scope of the term 'specular UV reflector' to mirror-like surfaces. Consequently, the accused products utilizing diffuse reflective surfaces fall outside the patent's claims.
The Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's determination that Manufacturing Resources International's cooling system claims were unpatentable for obviousness. The court upheld the Board's finding that prior art disclosed the claimed constricted convection plate and that the patent owner failed to establish a nexus for its objective indicia of nonobviousness.
The Federal Circuit reversed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's finding of non-obviousness for Claim 1 of an electric vehicle charging patent, ruling that the Board applied an improper claim construction. The court affirmed the Board's decision for Claims 8 and 14, which contain distinct statutory limitations requiring a specific determination of time based on battery charge.
The Federal Circuit affirmed the invalidity of a patent claiming a method for personalizing digital media content based on user social network data. The court held that the patent merely recites an abstract idea of customizing information using generic computer components without providing an inventive concept.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated and remanded the EPA's approval of Florida's permitting program under the Clean Water Act, citing non-compliance with the Endangered Species Act.