In PNC Bank NA v. Parus Holdings, Inc., the PTAB denied the Parties’ joint request for authorization to file a motion to terminate because the requested “termination” would merely amount to a stay of proceedings pending appeal in an
2015
Refused Cross-Examination Results in PTAB Striking Non-Party Witness Declaration
In HTC Corp. v. NFC Tech., LLC, the PTAB granted the Petitioner’s motion to strike and expunge the declaration of the Patent Owner’s non-party witness, who refused to submit to cross-examination. IPR2014-01198, Paper 41 (Nov. 6, 2015).
The…
PTAB provides guidance on demonstrating public accessibility of prior art
The familiar standard for anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 states, in part, that a “person shall be entitled to a patent unless” the claimed invention was “described in a printed publication . . . or otherwise available to the…
PTAB rules that standing for CBM proceeding must only exist at the time a petition is filed
In Westlake Services, LLC v. Credit Acceptance Corp., the PTAB denied a Patent Owner’s request for authorization to file a motion to terminate. IPR2014-00176, Paper 41 (Sept. 3, 2015). In so ruling, the Board made it clear that…
A Prima Facie Case Is Not Required for Institution
In Nestlé Purina Petcare Co. v. Oil-Dri Corp. of America, the PTAB held that the “reasonable likelihood” standard for institution of trial does not require that the Petitioner establish a prima facie case of unpatentability. IPR2015-00737, Paper 16…
PTAB Declines to Sanction Petitioner Based on Alleged “Profit Motive”
In Coalition for Affordable Drugs VI, LLC v. Celgene Corp., a six-judge panel denied a Patent Owner’s Motion for Sanctions against a Petitioner allegedly using IPRs to attack the Patent Owner’s primary product lines in an apparent attempt to…
PTAB confirms that assignor estoppel does not apply in IPRs
The PTAB recently confirmed that the doctrine of assignor estoppel does not apply to IPR proceedings. Esselte Corp. v. Sanford L.P., IPR2015-00771, Paper 13 (Aug. 28, 2015). Assignor estoppel is an equitable doctrine that generally prohibits an assignor…
PTAB refuses to terminate CBM on alleged mootness grounds
In Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. v. MyMedicalRecords, Inc., a Patent Owner requested termination of an instituted CBM as moot based on a final judgment in an underlying District Court case. CBM2015-00022, Paper 20 (August 26, 2015). The PTAB,…
Motion to exclude is “improper vehicle” to challenge qualification of prior art under § 102(b)
In Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. v. 5th Market, Inc., the PTAB issued a Final Written Decision finding the challenged claims unpatentable as obvious over two references. CBM2014-00114, Paper 35 (Aug. 18, 2015). In doing so, the Board provided…
PTAB cautiously authorizes motion to disqualify expert
In Agila Specialties Inc. v. Cephalon, Inc., the PTAB provided guidance on seeking the disqualification of an expert. Although the Board authorized the Patent Owner to file a Motion to Disqualify the Petitioner’s expert on the basis of an…