brooktree, E.I. dupont, brana, gardner, marzocchi

PTAB Decisions

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Reversed

Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry

1612 UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION 16302022 LEBOVITZ 103 VIKSNINS HARRIS PADYS MALEN LLP PETRITSCH, AMANDA MICHELLE

1616 onCour Pharma, Inc. 16875735 GRIMES 112(1)/112(2)/103/OTDP COOLEY LLP VANHORN, ABIGAIL LOUISE

1616 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 16690956 FREDMAN 103 Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP SAEED, ALI S

1622 European Molecular Biology Laboratory 16069824 GRIMES 103 MERCHANT & GOULD P.C. HAVLIN, ROBERT H

1631 ABCAM PLC 15533983 TOWNSEND 103 EPA - BOZICEVIC FIELD & FRANCIS LLP MARVICH, MARIA

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering

1711 TTI (MACAO COMMERCIAL OFFSHORE) LIMITED 16065980 GRIMES 112(1)/102/103 Dority & Manning, P.A. and Techtronic Cordless GP MARKOFF, ALEXANDER

1735 ArcelorMittal 15560468 REN Concurring OWENS 103 Davidson, Davidson & Kappel, LLC SMITH, CATHERINE P

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software

2116 Johnson Controls Technology Company 16833000 MURPHY Concurring SHIANG 103 Johnson Controls, Inc./Fletcher c/o Fletcher Yoder PC SIDDIQUEE, TAMEEM

2127 NVIDIA Corporation 16216720 HOMERE 103 NVIDIA c/o LEYDIG, VOIT & MAYER JABLON, ASHER H.

2163 Elemental Machines, Inc. 16960772 COURTENAY 103 103 Larson & Anderson, LLC LE, MICHAEL

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security

2426 Sony Corporation 16810161 COURTENAY 103 Graham Clift TELAN, MICHAEL R

2438 International Business Machines Corporation 17016843 MCKEOWN 103 IBM CORPORATION WHITE, JOSHUA RAYMOND

2465 Comcast Cable Communications, LLC 16397706 SILVERMAN 103 BANNER & WITCOFF , LTD HSU, ALPUS

Tech Center 2600 Communications

2685 Sensormatic Electronics, LLC 17174051 CUTITTA 103 Arent Fox LLP / Johnson Controls PHAM, QUANG

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components

2895 Infineon Technologies AG 16909575 TIMM 102/103 MURPHY, BILAK & HOMILLER/INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES CHANG, JAY C

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review

3624 Sony Corporation 16393328 HASTINGS 103 MCCARTER & ENGLISH, LLP ROTARU, OCTAVIAN

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design

3774 C LindheXtend AB 16627853 SCHOPFER 103 RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP WOZNICKI, JACQUELINE

3797 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. 16963869 WOODS 103 PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS ALDARRAJI, ZAINAB MOHAMMED

Affirmed-in-Part

Tech Center 2600 Communications

2628 Samuel Moss 16136432 THOMAS 112(1)/112(2)/101 112(1)/112(2) Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC RITCHIE, DARLENE M

Additionally, as the Federal Circuit has stated, “[t]o violate [35 U.S.C. §] 101 [,] the claimed device must be totally incapable of achieving a useful result.” Brooktree Corp. v. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., 977 F.2d 1555, 1571 (Fed. Cir. 1992). See also E.I. du Pont De Nemours & Co. v. Berkley & Co., 620 F.2d 1247, 1260 n.17 (8th Cir. 1980) (“A small degree of utility is sufficient . . . . The claimed invention must only be capable of performing some beneficial function . . . . In short, the defense of non-utility cannot be sustained without proof of total incapacity.”). Even if an invention is only partially successful in achieving a useful result, a rejection of the claimed invention as a whole based on a lack of utility is not appropriate. See In re Brana, 51 F.3d 1560 (Fed. Cir. 1995); see also In re Gardner, 475 F.2d 1389 (CCPA 1973), reh’g denied, 480 F.2d 879 (CCPA 1973); see also In re Marzocchi, 439 F.2d 220 (CCPA 1971).

Brooktree Corp. v. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., 977 F.2d 1555, 24 USPQ2d 1401 (Fed. Cir. 1992) 2107.01

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Berkley and Co., 620 F.2d 1247, 205 USPQ 1 (8th Cir. 1980) 2107.01

Brana, In re, 51 F.3d 1560, 34 USPQ2d 1436 (Fed. Cir. 1995)   2107.01 ,   2107.03 ,   2164.01(c) ,   2107.02 ,   2164.02 ,   2164.04 ,   2164.07

Gardner, In re, 475 F.2d 1389, 177 USPQ 396 (CCPA 1973) 601.01(d) , 2107.01 , 2107.03 , 2163

Marzocchi, In re, 439 F.2d 220, 169 USPQ 367 (CCPA 1971)   2107.01 ,   2107.02 ,   2124 ,   2163 ,   2163.04 ,   2164.03 ,   2164.04 ,   2164.08

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review

3655 BEL USA LLC 16412088 STEPINA 103 103 Mayback IP Law, P.A. RANDAZZO, THOMAS

Affirmed

Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry

1611 L'OREAL 15963591 LEBOVITZ 112(2)/103 Meagher Emanuel Laks Goldberg & Liao, LLP GHALI, ISIS A D

1615 Andrea Rosanoff 16371481 TOWNSEND 102/103 THORPE NORTH & WESTERN, LLP. SASAN, ARADHANA

1619 The Procter & Gamble Company 16000290 SCHNEIDER 103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY CHICKOS, SARAH J

1631 Katholieke Universiteit Leuven 15147563 NEW 103 TAROLLI, SUNDHEIM, COVELL & TUMMINO L.L.P. SCHUBERG, LAURA J

1642 Bavarian Nordic A/S 15310597 GRIMES 103 Bavarian Nordic, Inc. MOSELEY II, NELSON B

1653 Wouter Van't Hof 14070075 WISZ 103 TAROLLI, SUNDHEIM, COVELL & TUMMINO L.L.P LANDAU, SHARMILA GOLLAMUDI

1653 AlloSource 16249689 KATZ 103 Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP LANDAU, SHARMILA GOLLAMUDI

1678 Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. 14938307 FREDMAN 102/103 Roche RMS / Charney IP Law NGUYEN, NAM P

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering

1718 Tulga SIMSEK 15399595 GUPTA 112(2) 103 Meunier Carlin & Curfman LLC LORENZI, MARC

1758 3B Medical, Inc. 15956793 BEST 112(1)/102 103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C. YOO, REGINA M

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software

2116 PicoBrew, LLC 16449422 ZADO 112(2)/101/103 PicoBrew, Inc. Krajec Patent Offices, LLC SKRZYCKI, JONATHAN MICHAEL

2122 TLV Co., Ltd. 16611977 SAADAT 103 101 THE WEBB LAW FIRM, P.C. SMITH, KEVIN LEE

2161 Mikko Vaananen 13390526 THOMAS 112(1) 112(1)/103 Mikko Kalervo Vaananen LE, HUNG D

2166 Apple Inc. 15693087 FRAHM 103 APPLE INC. – Fletcher c/o Fletcher Yoder, PC HALM, KWEKU WILLIAM

2171 Apple Inc. 17240485 CRAIG 103 DLA Piper LLP (US) – Apple SHEN, SAMUEL
Affirmed 2414 Comcast Cable Communications, LLC 16047448 DEJMEK 103 BANNER & WITCOFF , LTD D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security

2484 Comcast Cable Communications, LLC 17249756 CHEN 103 BakerHostetler / Comcast MESA, JOSE M

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components

2811 Coo-e, LLC 16393631 WIEDER 101 MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP (SONY) NADAV, ORI

2857 DENSO CORPORATION 16284336 CUTITTA 101 OLIFF PLC PARK, HYUN D

2859 Apple Inc. 16051350 HOUSEL 103 Treyz Law Group HERNANDEZ, MANUEL J

2896 Texas Instruments Incorporated 15463246 ROBERTSON 102/103 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED PATERSON, BRIGITTE A

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review

3624 SAP SE 16698757 DIXON 103 101 SCHWEGMAN LUNDBERG & WOESSNER/SAP CHOY, PAN G

3647 WTO Investments, LLC 16490577 SONG 103 FlashPoint IP Ltd. FRAZIER, BRADY W

3649 Bret Cahill 16536313 HASTINGS 112(2)/102/103 Bret E. Cahill HARMON, CHRISTOPHER R

3674 Baker Hughes Incorporated 15166499 ASTORINO 112(1) 112(1) Sprinkle IP Law Group HARCOURT, BRAD

3686 Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation 16228732 HOWARD 101 Fulton Jeang PLLC NEWTON, CHAD A
A

3694 Mark GREENSTEIN 16503799 KENNY 101 BACON & THOMAS, PLLC ANDERSON, SCOTT C

3694 Hartford Fire Insurance Company 16214460 BUI 101 BUCKLEY, MASCHOFF & TALWALKAR LLC YONO, RAVEN E

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design

3715 Jeffrey Quail 16567690 STEPINA 103 ADE & COMPANY INC. GEBREMICHAEL, BRUK A

3791 COMPASS BEAUTY, INC. 17230653 SCHOPFER 103 112(1)/112(2) DLA PIPER LLP (US) SHOSTAK, ANDREY

3796 HeartWare, Inc. 16296510 STAICOVICI 101 Medtronic, Inc/ Shumaker & Sieffert, P.A PORTER, JR, GARY A

3796 COALA-LIFE AB 16960493 STEPINA 112(2)/101/103 Sheridan Ross PC D ABREU, MICHAEL JOSEPH

3798 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. 16471165 HILL 102/103 PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS FERNANDEZ, KATHERINE L

Reexamination
Affirmed

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components

2842 RFMICRON INC. et al. 90019057 9,825,608 14/150,392 ENGLE 102/103 103 GARLICK & MARKISON (RFM) For Third Party Requester: PERKINS COIE-LLP -SEA GENERAL TON, MY TRANG

Reissue

Granted 

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security

2439 McAfee, LLC 16264667 HOMERE 103 HANLEY, FLIGHT & ZIMMERMAN, LLC (McAfee) LE, CANH

Denied 

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering

1781 SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD. et al. 15449502 HASTINGS 103 Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP GUGLIOTTA, NICOLE T

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software

2175 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION 17357480 CRAIG 103 Cuenot, Forsythe & Kim, LLC LU, HWEI-MIN

genentech, bond, schriber-schroth, E.I. dupont, hall, bruckelmeyer, wyer

REVERSED

1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1715 Ex Parte Sandhu 11/257,946 GARRIS 102(b)/103(a) Wells St. John P.S. EXAMINER MILLER, JR, JOSEPH ALBERT

2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2113 Ex Parte Butcher 10/392,698 LUCAS 103(a) MARSH FISCHMANN & BREYFOGLE LLP

(Oracle formerly d/b/a Sun Microsystems) EXAMINER MANOSKEY, JOSEPH D

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has cautioned against unreasonably broad claim construction:

Although the PTO emphasizes that it was required to give all “claims their broadest reasonable construction” particularly with respect to [the] use of the open-ended term “comprising,” see Genentech, Inc. v. Chiron Corp., 112 F.3d 495, 501 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (“the open-ended term comprising ... means that the named elements are essential, but other elements may be added”), this court has instructed that any such construction be “consistent with the specification, ... and that claim language should be read in light of the specification as it would be interpreted by one of ordinary skill in the art.” In re Bond, 910 F.2d 831, 833 (Fed. Cir. 1990).

The PTO’s construction here, though certainly broad, is unreasonably broad. The broadest construction rubric coupled with the term “comprising” does not give the PTO an unfettered license to interpret claims to embrace anything remotely related to the claimed invention. Rather, claims should always be read in light of the specification and teachings in the underlying patent. See Schriber-Schroth Co. v. Cleveland Trust Co., 311 U.S. 211, 217 (1940).

In re Suitco Surface, Inc., 603 F.3d 1255, 1260 (Fed. Cir. 2010).

Genentech, Inc. v. Chiron Corp., 112 F.3d 495, 42 USPQ2d 1608 (Fed. Cir. 1997) . . . 2111.03, 2138.05, 2163

Bond, In re, 910 F.2d 831, 15 USPQ2d 1566 (Fed. Cir. 1990) . . . . . . . . . . 2131, 2183, 2184

2154 Ex Parte Fox et al 11/026,358 HUGHES 102(e) DUKE W. YEE YEE & ASSOCIATES, P.C. EXAMINER CHEN, TE Y

2191 Ex Parte Speare et al 10/806,779 BARRY 102(b) SENNIGER POWERS LLP (MSFT) EXAMINER VO, TED T

"The PTO Rules of Practice require the examiner to cite only what he considers the 'best references.'" E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co. v. Berkley & Co., 620 F.2d 1247, 1266-67 (8th Cir. 1980).

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Berkley and Co., 620 F.2d 1247, 205 USPQ 1 (8th Cir. 1980) . . . . . .2107.01
3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3626 Ex Parte Watrous 10/094,874 MOHANTY 101/112(2)/103(a) KELLY LOWRY & KELLEY, LLP EXAMINER SEREBOFF, NEAL

3667 Ex Parte Fahrny et al 11/006,864 FISCHETTI 112(2)/103(a) BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C. EXAMINER BADII, BEHRANG

3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3761 Ex Parte Connor 11/285,883 O’NEILL 112(2)/103(a) FENNEMORE CRAIG EXAMINER ZALUKAEVA, TATYANA

AFFIRMED-IN-PART

3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3627 Ex Parte Schmeling et al 10/011,524 KIM 103(a) HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY EXAMINER HAIDER, FAWAAD

3664 Ex Parte Seki 11/017,293 CHEN 112(2)/103(a) FLYNN THIEL BOUTELL & TANIS, P.C. EXAMINER PECHE, JORGE O

3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3716 Ex Parte Link 10/690,818 ZECHER 103(a) NIXON & VANDERHYE, P.C. EXAMINER DUFFY, DAVID W

3738 Ex Parte Stacchino et al 11/066,346 BAHR 102(b)/103(a) FAEGRE & BENSON LLP EXAMINER PRONE, CHRISTOPHER D

3764 Ex Parte Habing et al 11/372,645 ASTORINO 102(b)/103(a) BLAKELY SOKOLOFF TAYLOR & ZAFMAN LLP EXAMINER GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
REEXAMINATION

EXAMINER AFFIRMED

3900 Central Reexamination Unit (CRU)
2761 Ex parte ePlus, Inc., Appellant and Assignee 90/008,104 6,023,683 TURNER 102(a)/102(b) PATENT OWNER: GOODWIN PROCTER LLP THIRD PARTY REQUESTER: LEE PATCH, ESQ. DAY CASEBEER MADRID & BATCHELDER EXAMINER POKRZYWA, JOSEPH R originally Cha & Reiter, LLC EXAMINER COSIMANO, EDWARD R

“The statutory phrase ‘printed publication’ has been interpreted to give effect to ongoing advances in the technologies of data storage, retrieval, and dissemination.” In re Hall, 781 F.2d 897, 898 (Fed. Cir. 1986) (citation omitted). “Because there are many ways in which a reference may be disseminated to the interested public, ‘public accessibility’ has been called the touchstone in determining whether a reference constitutes a ‘printed publication’ bar under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).” Id. at 898-99 (citation omitted).

Our reviewing court has explained that a reference is “‘publicly accessible”’ upon a satisfactory showing that:

(1) the “document has been disseminated”; or

(2) “otherwise made available to the extent that persons interested and ordinarily skilled in the subject matter or art exercising reasonable diligence, can locate it and recognize and comprehend therefrom the essentials of the claimed invention without need of further research or experimentation.” Bruckelmyer v. Ground Heaters, Inc., 445 F.3d 1374, 1378 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (quoting In re Wyer, 655 F.2d 221, 226 (CCPA 1981)).

Hall, In re, 781 F.2d 897, 228 USPQ 453 (Fed. Cir. 1986). . . . . . . . . .2128, 2128.01, 2128.02

Bruckelmyer v. Ground Heaters, Inc., 445 F. 3d 1374, 78 USPQ2d 1684 (Fed. Cir. 2006). . . . . . . . . . . . . 2127

Wyer, In re, 655 F.2d 221, 210 USPQ 790 (CCPA 1981). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 901.05, 2127, 2128

AFFIRMED

3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3774 Ex Parte Smith 10/630,562 GREENHUT 103(a) VIDAS, ARRETT & STEINKRAUS, P.A. EXAMINER GANESAN, SUBA

NEW

REVERSED

2186 Ex Parte Brownhill et al 11/025,413 HUGHES 102(e)/103(a) MCANDREWS HELD & MALLOY, LTD EXAMINER VERDERAMO III, RALPH

1625 Ex Parte Catinat et al 10/534,502 GRIMES 103(a) OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND MAIER & NEUSTADT, L.L.P. EXAMINER MABRY, JOHN

2188 Ex Parte NOYLE 11/364,691 THOMAS 102(e)/103(a) WOODCOCK WASHBURN LLP (MICROSOFT CORPORATION) EXAMINER TRAN, DENISE

AFFIRMED

3627 Ex Parte Cachey et al 10/321,783 RUGGIERO 103(a) KILPATRICK TOWNSEND & STOCKTON LLP EXAMINER OBEID, FAHD A

2452 Ex Parte Ratcliff et al 10/413,618 FISCHETTI 103(a) 37 C.F.R. § 41.41 101 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION EXAMINER CHANKONG, DOHM