capon,ariad,ralston,vas-cath,

REVERSED 

1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering 

Ex Parte Blazewicz et al 10/402,596 KIMLIN 102(b) PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS EXAMINER LUDLOW, JAN M 

2100 Computer Architecture and Software Ex Parte Dettinger et al 10/718,218 COURTENAY 102(e)/103(a) IBM CORPORATION EXAMINER PHAM, KHANH B 

3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review Ex Parte Saxe et al 10/440,988 O’NEILL 112(1)/103(a) 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP EXAMINER SMITH, KIMBERLY S 

Recently, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided en banc the scope and purpose of the written description requirement within the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. § 112. The court reaffirmed that the written description requirement found in the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. § 112 is separate and distinct from the enablement requirement of that provision. Ariad Pharms., Inc. v. Eli Lilly and Co. , --- F.3d ----, 2010 WL 1007369, at *12 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (citing Vas-Cath, Inc. v. Mahurkar, 935 F.2d 1555, 1562-1563 (Fed. Cir. 1991)). Further, the purpose of the written description requirement in 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph, is to “clearly allow persons of ordinary skill in the art to recognize that [the inventor] invented what is claimed.” Ariad, 2010 WL 1007369, at *12. Accordingly, “the test for sufficiency is whether the disclosure of the application relied upon reasonably conveys to those skilled in the art that the inventor had possession of the claimed subject matter as of the filing date.” Id. (citing Ralston Purina Co. v. FarMar-Co, Inc. , 772 F.2d 1570, 1575 (Fed. Cir. 1985)). The hallmark of the written description is disclosure. Ariad, 2010 WL 1007369, at *12. As such, not just possession, but “‘possession as shown in the disclosure’ is a more complete formulation.” Id. Thus, the test for whether the claims are adequately described “requires an objective inquiry into the four corners of the specification from the perspective of a person of ordinary skill in the art.” Id. “Based on that inquiry, the specification must describe an invention understandable to that skilled artisan and show that the inventor actually invented the invention claimed.” Id. This inquiry is a question of fact. Id. (citing Ralston Purina, 772 F.2d at 1575). “[T]he level of detail required to satisfy the written description requirement varies depending on the nature and scope of the claims and on the complexity and predictability of the relevant technology.” Ariad, 2010 WL 1007369, at *12 (citing Capon v. Eshhar, 418 F.3d 1349, 1357-58 (Fed. Cir. 2005)).

Vas-Cath, Inc. v. Mahurkar, 935 F.2d 1555, 19 USPQ2d 1111 (Fed. Cir. 1991). . .1504.20, 2161, 2163, 2163.02, 2164, 2181

Ralston Purina Co. v. Far-Mar-Co., Inc. , 772 F.2d 1570, 227 USPQ 177 (Fed. Cir. 1985).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2163.02

Capon v. Eshhar, 418 F.3d 1349, 76 USPQ2d 1078 (Fed. Cir. 2005) . . . . . . . . . .2163 

AFFIRMED-IN-PART 

1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry 

Ex Parte Motyka et al 10/828,827 PRATS 102(b)/103(a) THORPE NORTH & WESTERN, LLP. EXAMINER ARNOLD, ERNST V