Playtex, york prod., amhil

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REVERSED 
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2455 Ex Parte Sullivan et al 11598113 - (D) HORVATH 103 RYAN, MASON & LEWIS, LLP MURPHY, CHARLES C

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3692 Ex Parte Smyers et al 12112875 - (D) WORTH 103 Sony Corp of America - EVS LOFTUS, ANN E

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3744 Ex Parte Auchter et al 11791991 - (D) STAICOVICI 103 Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, P.C. DUONG, THO V

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3632 Ex Parte Altshuler et al 11796501 - (D) DANIELS 103/112(2) 103 Kenneth Altshuler BRESLIN, DANIEL J

The Examiner has the better position here, determining that the word “essentially” modifies the entire phrase including the word “surrounds.” It is well settled that “words of approximation, such as ‘generally’ and ‘substantially,’ are descriptive terms ‘commonly used in patent claims to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter.” Playtex Products, Inc. v. Procter & Gamble  Co., 400 F.3d 901, 907 (Fed. Cir. 2005) citations omitted.
...
“Substantially” is often used to mean largely but not wholly what is specified. See, e.g., York Products, Inc., v. Central Tractor Farm & Family Center, 99 F.3d 1568, 1572-73 (Fed. Cir. 1996); See also Amhil Enterprises Ltd. v. Wawa, Inc., 81 F.3d, 1554, 1562, (Fed. Cir. 1996).

York Products, Inc. v. Central Tractor Farm & Family Center, 99 F.3d 1568, 40 USPQ2d 1619 (Fed. Cir. 1996) 2181

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1726 Ex Parte Inoue et al 11883808 - (D) McSHANE 103 KRATZ, QUINTOS & HANSON, LLP MOHADDES, LADAN

1775 Ex Parte Bynum et al 12362375 - (D) ABRAHAM 103 Agilent Technologies, Inc. in care of: CPA Global BOWERS, NATHAN ANDREW

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2117 Ex Parte Belady et al 11414852 - (D) COURTENAY 103 HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY GANDHI, DIPAKKUMAR B

2123 Ex Parte Schirmer et al 10335260 - (D) FINK 112/102/103 IBM Lotus & Rational SW c/o Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP OSBORNE, LUKE R

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2621 Ex Parte Li et al 11833256 - (D) BUI 103 Novak Druce Connolly Bove + Quigg/SBP 54000 BUKOWSKI, KENNETH

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2828 Ex Parte KITAGAWA et al 12717750 - (D) PER CURIAM 103 FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER LLP HAGAN, SEAN P

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3641 Ex Parte Hubert 12589120 - (D) STAICOVICI 103 KAREN TANG-WAI SUTTON TILLMAN, JR, REGINALD S

DENIED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1783 Ex Parte Shiao et al 12059194 - (R) HASTINGS 102/103 PAUL AND PAUL VAN SELL, NATHAN L

REEXAMINATION

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2621 NINTENDO CO., LTD, Requester, v. MOTIVA, LLC., Patent Owner. Ex Parte 7292151 et al 11/187,373 95000540 - (D) COCKS 102 102/103 STANDLEY LAW GROUP LLP 37 C.F.R. § 41.77(f) THIRD-PARTY REQUESTER: NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC LEUNG, CHRISTINA Y

playtex, robertson

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REVERSED 
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1716 Ex Parte Dhindsa et al 11363703 - (D) LEBOVITZ 103 MPG, LLP and Lam Research Corp. ALEJANDRO MULERO, LUZ L

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2155 Ex Parte Cattell et al 11393163 - (D) MEDLOCK 102(e)/103 MARSH FISCHMANN & BREYFOGLE LLP HOFFLER, RAHEEM

2184 Ex Parte Circello 12032286 - (D) DIXON 103 FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC. ROCHE, JOHN B

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2462 Ex Parte Ngo 10227201 - (D) CHUNG 103 PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS MURPHY, RHONDA L

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2645 Ex Parte Kettlewell et al 10911378 - (D) BAHR 103 WITHROW & TERRANOVA, P.L.L.C. BILGRAMI, ASGHAR H

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2872 Ex Parte Wagener et al 12222754 - (D) HASTINGS 102/103 WALTER OTTESEN CHAPEL, DEREK S

2885 Ex Parte Van As et al 12441588 - (D) PER CURIAM 103 HILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS MACCHIAROLO, LEAH SIMONE

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3725 Ex Parte Brößke et al 12095566 - (D) HILL 102/103 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) 112(1) PROSKAUER ROSE LLP EKIERT, TERESA M

Although we appreciate the Examiner’s position that the term “substantially” is a word that is used as a modifier to imply “approximately” rather than “precisely,” nonetheless, we agree with Appellants that a blank bent at a 90 degree angle does not constitute a “substantially” flat blank. See App. Br. 5; see also Playtex Prods., Inc. v. Proctor and Gamble Co., 400 F.3d 901, 907 (Fed. Cir. 2005). Thus, Roper’s bent blank that is introduced between coreless halves 31, 32 of a die is simply not “substantially flat” as recited in claim 1.

3746 Ex Parte Frank et al 11256717 - (D) SMEGAL 103 Kelly, Holt & Christenson, P.L.L.C. COMLEY, ALEXANDER BRYANT

When a claim requires two separate elements, using one element construed as performing two separate functions will not suffice to meet the terms of the claim. See In re Robertson, 169 F.3d 743 (Fed. Cir.
1999).

Robertson, In re, 169 F.3d 743, 49 USPQ2d 1949 (Fed. Cir. 1999) 2112 , 2114 , 2163 , 2163.07(a)

3781 Ex Parte Blake 11815943 - (D) WOODS 103 YOUNG & THOMPSON ALLEN, JEFFREY R

AFFIRMED-IN-PART 
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1644 Ex Parte Swaak 11811665 - (D) LEBOVITZ 112(1) 112(1)/112(2) TRASKBRITT, P.C. EWOLDT, GERALD R

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2621 Ex Parte HOPE 11463739 - (D) McCARTNEY 103 102(e)/103 SNYDER, CLARK, LESCH & CHUNG, LLP MATTHEWS, ANDRE L

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3635 Ex Parte Fortney et al 11805921 - (D) STAICOVICI 103 103 GRIGGS BERGEN LLP FERENCE, JAMES M

AFFIRMED 
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1633 Ex Parte Stopek 12298602 - (D) PAULRAJ 102 Covidien LP LONG, SCOTT

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1747 Ex Parte Bondeson et al 11267450 - (D) WARREN 103 WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, LLP (NORDSON) DYE, ROBERT C

1767 Ex Parte Li 12156897 - (D) HANLON 112(1)/103 BAYER MATERIAL SCIENCE LLC KOLLIAS, ALEXANDER C

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2456 Ex Parte Chou 11166526 - (D) HILL 103 KACVINSKY DAISAK BLUNI PLLC C/O CPA Global MAI, KEVIN S

2464 Ex Parte Mahany et al 11419565 - (D) DANG 102(e)/103 BGL/Broadcom NGUYEN, PHUONGCHAU BA

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2642 Ex Parte Phan-Anh 11691417 - (D) JEFFERY 103 BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD SCHWARTZ, JOSHUA L

2694 Ex Parte Ritter et al 11222134 - (D) NEW 103 MCANDREWS HELD & MALLOY, LTD HORNER, JONATHAN R

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3681 Ex Parte Nicholson 12080184 - (D) MEDLOCK 103 FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI LLP CHAMPAGNE, DONALD

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3746 Ex Parte Cromm et al 11977629 - (D) HOELTER 103 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) 103 ABELMAN, FRAYNE & SCHWAB KRAMER, DEVON C

3772 Ex Parte Chen et al 12255840 - (D) SMEGAL 103 Bay Area Technolgy Law Group PC NELSON, KERI JESSICA

REHEARING

DENIED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2197 Ex Parte Clemm et al 11139403 - (D) EVANS 102/103 CRGO LAW STEVEN M. GREENBERG COYER, RYAN D

Playtex

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REVERSED
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3742 Ex Parte Ott 11276288 - (D) BROWNE 102/103 FLETCHER YODER (ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.) MAYE, AYUB A

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2424 Ex Parte Kikinis 10071091 - (D) HOMERE 102/103 BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD. SHANG, ANNAN Q

2456 Ex Parte McQuaide et al 10108348 - (D) KUMAR 112(2)/103 AT&T Legal Department - SZ BARQADLE, YASIN M

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2814 Ex Parte KADOGUCHI et al 12143029 - (D) WHITEHEAD, JR. 103 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED CAO, PHAT X

Appicant's rely upon a holding from Playtex Products, Inc. v. Procter & Gamble Co., 400 F. 3d 901, 908 (Fed. Cir. 2005), wherein the court held that "[t]he disputed claim term [flatten] is clearly a comparative term. Comparison requires a reference point. Therefore, to flatten something, one must flatten it with respect to either itself or some other object."

However the court in Playtex also stated that, "[t]he issue is whether the patentee properly claimed an oval as a "substantially flattened" circle, or more specifically, an elliptical cylinder as a "substantially flattened" cylinder." Playtex v. P.G. 400 F. 3d 901, 909 (Fed. Cir. 2005).  We are faced with a similar issue here, and that is did appellants properly claim the "flatten metallic free air ball" in a  manner that would distinguish it from the product by process based claim.  We find that Appellants did not. 

2894 Ex Parte Alba et al 11855229 - (D) WHITEHEAD, JR. 103 Dorsey & Whitney LLP-IP Dept.-MTI PAYEN, MARVIN

2896 Ex Parte Zuniga-Ortiz et al 11050059 - (D) WHITEHEAD, JR. 103 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED KALAM, ABUL

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3663 Ex Parte Price et al 10703693 - (D) FISHMAN 102/103 Driggs, Hogg, Daugherty & Del Zoppo Co., L.P.A. EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3764 Ex Parte Berg et al 10881888 - (D) KAUFFMAN 102/103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY ANDERSON, CATHARINE L