In In re NuVasive, Inc., the Federal Circuit clarified what constitutes adequate notice to a Patent Owner of “pertinent portions” of a prior art reference relied upon in an IPR petition. Case No. 2015-1672 (Fed. Cir. Nov. 9, 2016)
Federal Circuit
CAFC requires weighing diligence evidence as a whole and rejects “scouring” for gaps
In Perfect Surgical v. Olympus America, Inc., the Federal Circuit found harmful error in the PTAB’s diligence framework and conclusions, thereby potentially lowering the bar required to establish diligence in PTAB cases. Case No. 2015-2043 (Fed. Cir. Nov. 15…
No due process violation where PTAB “previews” new construction at oral hearing
In Intellectual Ventures II LLC v. Ericsson Inc.,[1] the Federal Circuit considered whether the PTAB’s adoption of a new claim construction in its Final Written Decision constitutes a violation of the parties’ due process. Intellectual Ventures argued that…
Federal Circuit rules that PTAB’s decision on time-bar is still not appealable
A Federal Circuit panel recently confirmed that 35 U.S.C. § 314(d) does not permit appeal of a decision by the PTAB that an IPR petitioner is not time-barred under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b). Wi-Fi One, LLC v. Broadcom Corporation…
Federal Circuit Rejects PTAB’s Analysis of Motion to Amend
In Veritas Technologies LLC v. Veeam Software Corporation, the Federal Circuit concluded that the PTAB erred in denying Patent Owner’s motion to amend claims in an IPR proceeding and remanded to the PTAB for further consideration of the substitute…
Federal Circuit Rejects PTAB’s Reliance on “Common Sense” to Supply Missing Claim Limitation
In Arendi S.A.R.I. v. Apple Inc., et al., the Federal Circuit reversed a PTAB decision finding all instituted claims in an IPR invalid as obvious based on the prior art and “common sense.” No. 2015-2073 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 10…
Federal Circuit criticizes PTAB for changing claim construction midstream
In SAS Institute, Inc. v. ComplementSoft, LLC, the Federal Circuit criticized the PTAB for changing its claim construction “midstream” and vacated the Board’s finding that, under the newly adopted construction, one of the claims in the Patent Owner’s software…
Federal Circuit rejects PTAB’s attempt at burden-shifting
In In Re Magnum Oil Tools Int’l, Ltd., the Federal Circuit found that the PTAB had improperly used its IPR institution standard—a reasonable likelihood that the petitioner would prevail as to at least one of the claims challenged in the…
Federal Circuit rules that PTAB may base IPR final decisions on evidence outside instituted grounds
In a recent decision affirming the PTAB’s obviousness findings in an IPR, the Federal Circuit confirmed that the Board may use prior art not cited in instituted grounds as evidence to support a final decision. Genzyme Therapeutic Prod. Ltd. P’ship …
Federal Circuit provides guidance on broadest reasonable interpretation standard for claim construction in PTAB proceedings
In two recent cases, the Federal Circuit provided guidance on applying the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) standard for claim construction in IPR proceedings. PPC Broadband Inc. v. Corning Optical Communications RF, LLC, No. 2015-1361, 1366, 1368, 1369 (Fed. Cir.