CAFC
November 16, 2023
Fed. Cir. No. 2021-2299, 2021-2338: This is the second time the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has reversed a finding of infringement and sent the design patent back to lower courts.
October 17, 2023
Fed. Cir. 2022-1387, 2022-1492: In a recent decision, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit cautioned patent holders against broadening amendments.
August 30, 2023
Fed. Cir. 2021-2063, 2021-2065: Sales of a product can be used to prove the inventiveness of a patent, but a US court warns that free samples are not relevant to patentability.
May 11, 2023
Since 2020, the USPTO has been denying requests for post-grant validity challenges based on the controversial Fintiv rule.
May 2, 2023
Fed. Cir. No. 2021-2320, 2021-2376: Typically patent drafters omit phrases like “at least one” from patent claims to improve readability, but a recent court decision may reverse the trend.
March 7, 2022
Travel Sentry, Inc. v David A. Tropp, No. 2021-1908 (Fed. Cir., Feb. 14, 2022). The patents claimed an economic practice and method of organizing human activity, which is not subject-matter that can be protected under the patent system.
February 24, 2022
The US CAFC ruled that an examiner is a "person of ordinary skill in the art" and is owed an appropriate level of deference.
October 5, 2021
Fed. Cir. No. 19-2286: The actual notice requirement of § 287 is only satisfied when the recipient is informed of the identity of the patent and the allegedly infringing activity.
July 7, 2021
Fed. Cir. No. 2020-1760: The CAFC sided with Apple and Samsung, finding a patent for an “improved” digital camera to be an abstract idea and not patent-eligible subject matter.
September 10, 2020
Fed. Cir. 2019-1622: The CAFC found the same preamble created different limitations for different patents, limiting one patent but not the other.
August 10, 2020
Fed. Cir. 2019-2041 - The CAFC held that Packet Intelligence was precluded from claiming $3.5M in pre-suit damages because the marking requirement was not met.
April 16, 2020
Fed. Cir. 2018-2097 — The CAFC ruled that Valeant's patent for Relistor(R) is prima facie obvious based on similar compounds with overlapping pH ranges.
December 19, 2019
Fed. Cir. 2018-2087 - Plastic Omnium was unsuccessful in proving patent infringement because the patents used a "special definition" of the word "parison".
November 14, 2019
Fed. Cir. 2019-1803 – CAFC sides with Airbus, finding that prior art references may be analogous even if they are outside the "field of endeavour."
October 11, 2019
CAFC 2018-1763 – In fiercely dissented decision, a top US court has invalidated an automotive patent, further extending the reach of the controversial §101.
September 20, 2019
CAFC 2018-2207 – The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that “wherein” clauses in patent claims can be limiting if they are material to patentability.
September 6, 2019
CAFC 2018-2091 – The Federal Circuit refused to grant lost profits and joint ownership to ScentSational Technologies for their scent-releasing bottle cap.
July 22, 2019
CAFC warns that the distinction between assignment and license cannot be determined by “formalities or magic words.”
June 4, 2019
Fed. Cir., 2018-1434 - CAFC clarifies the test for obviousness where the invention claims a use of a known drug.