Search Results for: hyatt

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Patent,

Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt Opinions about the Patent System

  • Schmidt suggested that the problem with the current patent system is that; in the early 90s and 2000s there were a lot of patents issued that were very broad, and that patent clerks are now spending a lot of time combing through and invalidating these older patents. Schmidt's suggest that the best way to address the problem is to take the patents as they're published and crowdsource them. Further Schmidt states that "the best way to potentially curb these patent wars, then, would be to publish the patents publicly and allow everyone to comment to see if there's any prior art." Schmidt is worried that "overbroad patents will somehow slow" the progress of the software industry down. [Link]

Applications to Law Schools Decline

  • Many students in the past couple of years came to the conclusion that law school was not for them. This year applications to law schools nationwide are down by almost 10 percent. It seems like potential students are being scared off by the recent legal job market for graduating law students. In 2010, only 87.4 percent of the graduating class had a job 9 months after graduation, which was a 15 year low. While many areas of the legal industry have suffered in the past several years, it seems that the patent law sector is still going strong. There has been an increase in patent lawsuits, as well as patent applications for many consecutive years. The patent industry is somewhat different from other practices of law; an individual that prosecutes patents must have a science, engineering, or computer background to be eligible to take the patent bar. While an individual does not need a technical background to practice the other areas in the patent field, (litigation or licensing) most practicing legal professionals have the technical background anyway. There will probably be no decline in law students who would like to practice patent law; there might even be an increase in future years. [Link]

A New Way to Win Patent Claim Construction

  • In a recent article I read by patent attorney David Orange, he discusses negative claim construction. David states that a classic example of negative claim construction is prosecution history estoppel, which requires the disavowal of claim scope "to be both clear and unmistakable." The article also discusses how to successfully defend against concerns of infringement. David states that, "we routinely look for definitional statements in patents and their prosecution histories… but finding positive definitions is hard because patent prosecutors are raised to never refer to "the invention" and speak only in nonlimiting examples." The article suggest that we should also look for negative statements, such as declaratory statements… [Link]

What Will Kodak Patents Sell for?

  • Kodak has announced that it is willing to sell 10% (1,100) of its patent portfolio, which could help raise a significant amount of money for the company. The sale will be handled by the investment bank Lazard. Lazard recently brokered 2 of the biggest patent deals ever, Google's purchase of the Motorola patents and the purchase of the Nortel patents. It has been reported that the Kodak patents will sell for at least 3 billion, which is a large amount for only 1,100 patents. Nortel sold over 6,000 patents for 4 billion dollars and Google purchased over 17,000 patents for around 12.5 billion. So, is 3 billion dollars for 1,100 of Kodak patents a reasonable or realistic amount, I would say probably no in this situation. Kodak has over 10,000 patents in its portfolio and they are selling 1,100 of them. This could mean the ones they are selling probably are not that important, since they have not decided to sell the total portfolio. Also, Kodak doesn't have that much room to negotiate, over the past several years Kodak has been struggling to stay above water and therefore, the potential purchasers would have more power in the negotiations. [Link] [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • Thompson Hine is seeking an IP associate with 4-6 years of patent and trademark experience. [Link]
  • Roberts Mlotkowski Safran & Cole is searching for a patent attorney with 2-4 years of experience and an electrical engineering background. [Link]
  • Roberts Mlotkowski Safran & Cole is searching for a patent attorney with 2-4 years of experience and a chemical background. [Link]
  • Maginot, Moore & Beck is looking for a patent attorney with 1-5 years of experience and an electrical engineering background. [Link]
  • Cooley is searching for a patent attorney with 2-3 years of experience. [Link]
  • Meyertons, Hood, Klivin & Goetzel is seeking patent attorneys/agents and software computer engineers. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • Mizzou will be hosting its annual Missouri Technology Expo on September 8th. The event is held as a way of uniting innovators with those who can advance, develop and commercialize technologies. The guest speakers include, Christopher "Kit" Bond, Gregg Scheller, Suzanne Magee and many others. Several investment groups will be on hand, such as The Incubation Factory, DFJ Mercury, Allied Minds and many others. This will be a great event for patent attorneys and many others to network and build business relationships. [Link]
  • The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) will be holding its annual meeting in Los Angeles September 11-13th. Guest Speakers include CEO Chad Deaton (Baker Hughes) and Deputy Director James Pooley (WIPO). [Link]
  • IPO will be holding a conference in Los Angeles on September 14. The conference will discuss "Compulsory Licensing as an Emerging Global IP Issue". [Link]
  • The Chicago-Kent Supreme Court IP Review will be held on September 15th at Chicago-Kent College of Law. The conference is designed to provide intellectual property practitioners, jurists, legal academics and law students with a review of IP cases from the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Term, a preview of cases on the docket for the 2011 Term, and a discussion of cert. petitions to watch. Guest speakers include, Judge O'Malley, Mark Lemley, David Kappos, and a number of other influential individuals in the IP field. [Link]
  • The 2nd European Pharmaceutical Regulatory Law Forum will be held in Brussels, Belgium September 21-22nd. The forum will focus on recent developments affecting the pharma industry in Europe and will discuss the impact of US developments on European companies. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 10 for a 10% discount) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's Life Sciences Business Development & Acquisitions in Emerging Markets conference is scheduled for September 26-27 in New York, NY. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Boston University School of Law and the Kauffman Foundation will be holding a Workshop on Innovation and Patent Harmonization at Boston University School of Management on September 30-October 1. The workshop will cover the effect of harmonization in both advanced countries, such as the US, and in developing nations, with a particular focus on China. Anyone interested in attending, please RSVP to Elizabeth Aggot at eaa@bu.edu. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's 12th Annual Maximizing Pharmaceutical Patent Life Cycles will take place in New York on October 4th-5th. The conference is one of the leading sources of information and analysis on the patent life cycle management. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • C5 will be holding the 21st annual Forum on Biotech Patenting in London on October 5th-6th. The 2011 London Biotech Patenting Forum will focus on the latest legal developments affecting biotech companies and how to implement successful methods and strategies for drafting and filing patent applications in multiple jurisdictions. (Patently-O readers can save 100 pounds by using discount code PO 100) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Ries, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. (Register by 8/31 to receive a $100 discount) [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Patent,

Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt Opinions about the Patent System

  • Schmidt suggested that the problem with the current patent system is that; in the early 90s and 2000s there were a lot of patents issued that were very broad, and that patent clerks are now spending a lot of time combing through and invalidating these older patents. Schmidt's suggest that the best way to address the problem is to take the patents as they're published and crowdsource them. Further Schmidt states that "the best way to potentially curb these patent wars, then, would be to publish the patents publicly and allow everyone to comment to see if there's any prior art." Schmidt is worried that "overbroad patents will somehow slow" the progress of the software industry down. [Link]

Applications to Law Schools Decline

  • Many students in the past couple of years came to the conclusion that law school was not for them. This year applications to law schools nationwide are down by almost 10 percent. It seems like potential students are being scared off by the recent legal job market for graduating law students. In 2010, only 87.4 percent of the graduating class had a job 9 months after graduation, which was a 15 year low. While many areas of the legal industry have suffered in the past several years, it seems that the patent law sector is still going strong. There has been an increase in patent lawsuits, as well as patent applications for many consecutive years. The patent industry is somewhat different from other practices of law; an individual that prosecutes patents must have a science, engineering, or computer background to be eligible to take the patent bar. While an individual does not need a technical background to practice the other areas in the patent field, (litigation or licensing) most practicing legal professionals have the technical background anyway. There will probably be no decline in law students who would like to practice patent law; there might even be an increase in future years. [Link]

A New Way to Win Patent Claim Construction

  • In a recent article I read by patent attorney David Orange, he discusses negative claim construction. David states that a classic example of negative claim construction is prosecution history estoppel, which requires the disavowal of claim scope "to be both clear and unmistakable." The article also discusses how to successfully defend against concerns of infringement. David states that, "we routinely look for definitional statements in patents and their prosecution histories… but finding positive definitions is hard because patent prosecutors are raised to never refer to "the invention" and speak only in nonlimiting examples." The article suggest that we should also look for negative statements, such as declaratory statements… [Link]

What Will Kodak Patents Sell for?

  • Kodak has announced that it is willing to sell 10% (1,100) of its patent portfolio, which could help raise a significant amount of money for the company. The sale will be handled by the investment bank Lazard. Lazard recently brokered 2 of the biggest patent deals ever, Google's purchase of the Motorola patents and the purchase of the Nortel patents. It has been reported that the Kodak patents will sell for at least 3 billion, which is a large amount for only 1,100 patents. Nortel sold over 6,000 patents for 4 billion dollars and Google purchased over 17,000 patents for around 12.5 billion. So, is 3 billion dollars for 1,100 of Kodak patents a reasonable or realistic amount, I would say probably no in this situation. Kodak has over 10,000 patents in its portfolio and they are selling 1,100 of them. This could mean the ones they are selling probably are not that important, since they have not decided to sell the total portfolio. Also, Kodak doesn't have that much room to negotiate, over the past several years Kodak has been struggling to stay above water and therefore, the potential purchasers would have more power in the negotiations. [Link] [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • Thompson Hine is seeking an IP associate with 4-6 years of patent and trademark experience. [Link]
  • Roberts Mlotkowski Safran & Cole is searching for a patent attorney with 2-4 years of experience and an electrical engineering background. [Link]
  • Roberts Mlotkowski Safran & Cole is searching for a patent attorney with 2-4 years of experience and a chemical background. [Link]
  • Maginot, Moore & Beck is looking for a patent attorney with 1-5 years of experience and an electrical engineering background. [Link]
  • Cooley is searching for a patent attorney with 2-3 years of experience. [Link]
  • Meyertons, Hood, Klivin & Goetzel is seeking patent attorneys/agents and software computer engineers. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • Mizzou will be hosting its annual Missouri Technology Expo on September 8th. The event is held as a way of uniting innovators with those who can advance, develop and commercialize technologies. The guest speakers include, Christopher "Kit" Bond, Gregg Scheller, Suzanne Magee and many others. Several investment groups will be on hand, such as The Incubation Factory, DFJ Mercury, Allied Minds and many others. This will be a great event for patent attorneys and many others to network and build business relationships. [Link]
  • The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) will be holding its annual meeting in Los Angeles September 11-13th. Guest Speakers include CEO Chad Deaton (Baker Hughes) and Deputy Director James Pooley (WIPO). [Link]
  • IPO will be holding a conference in Los Angeles on September 14. The conference will discuss "Compulsory Licensing as an Emerging Global IP Issue". [Link]
  • The Chicago-Kent Supreme Court IP Review will be held on September 15th at Chicago-Kent College of Law. The conference is designed to provide intellectual property practitioners, jurists, legal academics and law students with a review of IP cases from the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Term, a preview of cases on the docket for the 2011 Term, and a discussion of cert. petitions to watch. Guest speakers include, Judge O'Malley, Mark Lemley, David Kappos, and a number of other influential individuals in the IP field. [Link]
  • The 2nd European Pharmaceutical Regulatory Law Forum will be held in Brussels, Belgium September 21-22nd. The forum will focus on recent developments affecting the pharma industry in Europe and will discuss the impact of US developments on European companies. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 10 for a 10% discount) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's Life Sciences Business Development & Acquisitions in Emerging Markets conference is scheduled for September 26-27 in New York, NY. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Boston University School of Law and the Kauffman Foundation will be holding a Workshop on Innovation and Patent Harmonization at Boston University School of Management on September 30-October 1. The workshop will cover the effect of harmonization in both advanced countries, such as the US, and in developing nations, with a particular focus on China. Anyone interested in attending, please RSVP to Elizabeth Aggot at eaa@bu.edu. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's 12th Annual Maximizing Pharmaceutical Patent Life Cycles will take place in New York on October 4th-5th. The conference is one of the leading sources of information and analysis on the patent life cycle management. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • C5 will be holding the 21st annual Forum on Biotech Patenting in London on October 5th-6th. The 2011 London Biotech Patenting Forum will focus on the latest legal developments affecting biotech companies and how to implement successful methods and strategies for drafting and filing patent applications in multiple jurisdictions. (Patently-O readers can save 100 pounds by using discount code PO 100) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Ries, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. (Register by 8/31 to receive a $100 discount) [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Patent,

Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt Opinions about the Patent System

  • Schmidt suggested that the problem with the current patent system is that; in the early 90s and 2000s there were a lot of patents issued that were very broad, and that patent clerks are now spending a lot of time combing through and invalidating these older patents. Schmidt's suggest that the best way to address the problem is to take the patents as they're published and crowdsource them. Further Schmidt states that "the best way to potentially curb these patent wars, then, would be to publish the patents publicly and allow everyone to comment to see if there's any prior art." Schmidt is worried that "overbroad patents will somehow slow" the progress of the software industry down. [Link]

Applications to Law Schools Decline

  • Many students in the past couple of years came to the conclusion that law school was not for them. This year applications to law schools nationwide are down by almost 10 percent. It seems like potential students are being scared off by the recent legal job market for graduating law students. In 2010, only 87.4 percent of the graduating class had a job 9 months after graduation, which was a 15 year low. While many areas of the legal industry have suffered in the past several years, it seems that the patent law sector is still going strong. There has been an increase in patent lawsuits, as well as patent applications for many consecutive years. The patent industry is somewhat different from other practices of law; an individual that prosecutes patents must have a science, engineering, or computer background to be eligible to take the patent bar. While an individual does not need a technical background to practice the other areas in the patent field, (litigation or licensing) most practicing legal professionals have the technical background anyway. There will probably be no decline in law students who would like to practice patent law; there might even be an increase in future years. [Link]

A New Way to Win Patent Claim Construction

  • In a recent article I read by patent attorney David Orange, he discusses negative claim construction. David states that a classic example of negative claim construction is prosecution history estoppel, which requires the disavowal of claim scope "to be both clear and unmistakable." The article also discusses how to successfully defend against concerns of infringement. David states that, "we routinely look for definitional statements in patents and their prosecution histories… but finding positive definitions is hard because patent prosecutors are raised to never refer to "the invention" and speak only in nonlimiting examples." The article suggest that we should also look for negative statements, such as declaratory statements… [Link]

What Will Kodak Patents Sell for?

  • Kodak has announced that it is willing to sell 10% (1,100) of its patent portfolio, which could help raise a significant amount of money for the company. The sale will be handled by the investment bank Lazard. Lazard recently brokered 2 of the biggest patent deals ever, Google's purchase of the Motorola patents and the purchase of the Nortel patents. It has been reported that the Kodak patents will sell for at least 3 billion, which is a large amount for only 1,100 patents. Nortel sold over 6,000 patents for 4 billion dollars and Google purchased over 17,000 patents for around 12.5 billion. So, is 3 billion dollars for 1,100 of Kodak patents a reasonable or realistic amount, I would say probably no in this situation. Kodak has over 10,000 patents in its portfolio and they are selling 1,100 of them. This could mean the ones they are selling probably are not that important, since they have not decided to sell the total portfolio. Also, Kodak doesn't have that much room to negotiate, over the past several years Kodak has been struggling to stay above water and therefore, the potential purchasers would have more power in the negotiations. [Link] [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • Thompson Hine is seeking an IP associate with 4-6 years of patent and trademark experience. [Link]
  • Roberts Mlotkowski Safran & Cole is searching for a patent attorney with 2-4 years of experience and an electrical engineering background. [Link]
  • Roberts Mlotkowski Safran & Cole is searching for a patent attorney with 2-4 years of experience and a chemical background. [Link]
  • Maginot, Moore & Beck is looking for a patent attorney with 1-5 years of experience and an electrical engineering background. [Link]
  • Cooley is searching for a patent attorney with 2-3 years of experience. [Link]
  • Meyertons, Hood, Klivin & Goetzel is seeking patent attorneys/agents and software computer engineers. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • Mizzou will be hosting its annual Missouri Technology Expo on September 8th. The event is held as a way of uniting innovators with those who can advance, develop and commercialize technologies. The guest speakers include, Christopher "Kit" Bond, Gregg Scheller, Suzanne Magee and many others. Several investment groups will be on hand, such as The Incubation Factory, DFJ Mercury, Allied Minds and many others. This will be a great event for patent attorneys and many others to network and build business relationships. [Link]
  • The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) will be holding its annual meeting in Los Angeles September 11-13th. Guest Speakers include CEO Chad Deaton (Baker Hughes) and Deputy Director James Pooley (WIPO). [Link]
  • IPO will be holding a conference in Los Angeles on September 14. The conference will discuss "Compulsory Licensing as an Emerging Global IP Issue". [Link]
  • The Chicago-Kent Supreme Court IP Review will be held on September 15th at Chicago-Kent College of Law. The conference is designed to provide intellectual property practitioners, jurists, legal academics and law students with a review of IP cases from the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Term, a preview of cases on the docket for the 2011 Term, and a discussion of cert. petitions to watch. Guest speakers include, Judge O'Malley, Mark Lemley, David Kappos, and a number of other influential individuals in the IP field. [Link]
  • The 2nd European Pharmaceutical Regulatory Law Forum will be held in Brussels, Belgium September 21-22nd. The forum will focus on recent developments affecting the pharma industry in Europe and will discuss the impact of US developments on European companies. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 10 for a 10% discount) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's Life Sciences Business Development & Acquisitions in Emerging Markets conference is scheduled for September 26-27 in New York, NY. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Boston University School of Law and the Kauffman Foundation will be holding a Workshop on Innovation and Patent Harmonization at Boston University School of Management on September 30-October 1. The workshop will cover the effect of harmonization in both advanced countries, such as the US, and in developing nations, with a particular focus on China. Anyone interested in attending, please RSVP to Elizabeth Aggot at eaa@bu.edu. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's 12th Annual Maximizing Pharmaceutical Patent Life Cycles will take place in New York on October 4th-5th. The conference is one of the leading sources of information and analysis on the patent life cycle management. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • C5 will be holding the 21st annual Forum on Biotech Patenting in London on October 5th-6th. The 2011 London Biotech Patenting Forum will focus on the latest legal developments affecting biotech companies and how to implement successful methods and strategies for drafting and filing patent applications in multiple jurisdictions. (Patently-O readers can save 100 pounds by using discount code PO 100) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Ries, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. (Register by 8/31 to receive a $100 discount) [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Patent

No Software Patent When it Merely Implement's Mental Steps

  • The Federal Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of summary judgment of invalidity of software patent claims asserted in CyberSource v. Retail Decisions. In its Decision, the Federal Circuit explains that a method that can be performed purely mentally is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 101, even if the claim is tied to computer hardware. [Link] This decision cited Bilski, stating that the "application of [only] human intelligence to the solution of practical problems is no more than a claim to a fundamental principle." [Decision]

Italy and Spain launches legal challenge against 25 EU member countries

  • Italy applied to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) asking it to rescind an EU decision taken in March that allowed the 25 countries to press ahead with proposals to create a single mechanism for gaining patent protection across Europe. Italy claims that the agreement is unlawful and will distort competition with the EU. [Link]

100 Best Legal Blogs

  • The ABA is working on their annual list of the 100 best legal blogs and they would like your advice on which blogs to include. If you would like to tell the ABA about your favorite blog or blogs they are accepting Friend-of-the-blawg briefs, which are due no later than 9/9/2011. [Link]

New Blog!

  • The "Bottom-Line Business Blog" deals with intellectual property business issues as they affect the intellectual property owner. The author of the "Bottom-Line Business Blog" is San Diego IP attorney Robert Cogan. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • The USPTO has openings for Administrative Patent Judges in several different specialties. [Link]
  • Sigma-Aldrich is seeking 2 patent attorneys, 1 with a background in material science/chemistry and the other with a background in molecular biology. [Link]
  • Squire, Sanders & Dempsey is seeking an experienced patent agent. [Link]
  • Proteostasis is searching for a patent attorney with 5+ years of experience and a chemical or biological background. [Link]
  • Pachira is looking for a principal technology advisor with at least 10 years of experience and an engineering background. [Link]
  • Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge is seeking an IP associate with 3-4 years of experience and a mechanical engineering background. [Link]
  • Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack is searching for a patent attorney with at least 1 year of experience and a B.S. in chemistry. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • The D.C., Northern Virginia and Baltimore Sections of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and National Small Business Association (NSBA) will be hosting the upcoming forum on "The Overhaul of U.S. Patent Law on August 29 in Washington D.C. The Forum will offer small-business owners, entrepreneurs, technical professionals and inventors the opportunity to hear from experienced entrepreneurs, investors and experts in the patent system including Paul Michel, Chief Judge (retired) of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Dr. Pinchus Laufer from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and other high-level speakers. [Link]
  • Mizzou will be hosting its annual Missouri Technology Expo on September 8th. The event is held as a way of uniting innovators with those who can advance, develop and commercialize technologies. The guest speakers include, Christopher "Kit" Bond, Gregg Scheller, Suzanne Magee and many others. Several investment groups will be on hand, such as The Incubation Factory, DFJ Mercury, Allied Minds and many others. This will be a great event for patent attorneys and many others to network and build business relationships. [Link]
  • The 2nd European Pharmaceutical Regulatory Law Forum will be held in Brussels, Belgium September 21-22nd. The forum will focus on recent developments affecting the pharma industry in Europe and will discuss the impact of US developments on European companies. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 10 for a 10% discount) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's Life Sciences Business Development & Acquisitions in Emerging Markets conference is scheduled for September 26-27 in New York, NY. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Boston University School of Law and the Kauffman Foundation will be holding a Workshop on Innovation and Patent Harmonization at Boston University School of Management on September 30-October 1. The workshop will cover the effect of harmonization in both advanced countries, such as the US, and in developing nations, with a particular focus on China. Anyone interested in attending, please RSVP to Elizabeth Aggot at eaa@bu.edu. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's 12th Annual Maximizing Pharmaceutical Patent Life Cycles will take place in New York on October 4th-5th. The conference is one of the leading sources of information and analysis on the patent life cycle management. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • C5 will be holding the 21st annual Forum on Biotech Patenting in London on October 5th-6th. The 2011 London Biotech Patenting Forum will focus on the latest legal developments affecting biotech companies and how to implement successful methods and strategies for drafting and filing patent applications in multiple jurisdictions. (Patently-O readers can save 100 pounds by using discount code PO 100) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Riles, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. (Register by 8/31 to receive a $100 discount) [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Patent

No Software Patent When it Merely Implement's Mental Steps

  • The Federal Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of summary judgment of invalidity of software patent claims asserted in CyberSource v. Retail Decisions. In its Decision, the Federal Circuit explains that a method that can be performed purely mentally is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 101, even if the claim is tied to computer hardware. [Link] This decision cited Bilski, stating that the "application of [only] human intelligence to the solution of practical problems is no more than a claim to a fundamental principle." [Decision]

Italy and Spain launches legal challenge against 25 EU member countries

  • Italy applied to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) asking it to rescind an EU decision taken in March that allowed the 25 countries to press ahead with proposals to create a single mechanism for gaining patent protection across Europe. Italy claims that the agreement is unlawful and will distort competition with the EU. [Link]

100 Best Legal Blogs

  • The ABA is working on their annual list of the 100 best legal blogs and they would like your advice on which blogs to include. If you would like to tell the ABA about your favorite blog or blogs they are accepting Friend-of-the-blawg briefs, which are due no later than 9/9/2011. [Link]

New Blog!

  • The "Bottom-Line Business Blog" deals with intellectual property business issues as they affect the intellectual property owner. The author of the "Bottom-Line Business Blog" is San Diego IP attorney Robert Cogan. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • The USPTO has openings for Administrative Patent Judges in several different specialties. [Link]
  • Sigma-Aldrich is seeking 2 patent attorneys, 1 with a background in material science/chemistry and the other with a background in molecular biology. [Link]
  • Squire, Sanders & Dempsey is seeking an experienced patent agent. [Link]
  • Proteostasis is searching for a patent attorney with 5+ years of experience and a chemical or biological background. [Link]
  • Pachira is looking for a principal technology advisor with at least 10 years of experience and an engineering background. [Link]
  • Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge is seeking an IP associate with 3-4 years of experience and a mechanical engineering background. [Link]
  • Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack is searching for a patent attorney with at least 1 year of experience and a B.S. in chemistry. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • The D.C., Northern Virginia and Baltimore Sections of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and National Small Business Association (NSBA) will be hosting the upcoming forum on "The Overhaul of U.S. Patent Law on August 29 in Washington D.C. The Forum will offer small-business owners, entrepreneurs, technical professionals and inventors the opportunity to hear from experienced entrepreneurs, investors and experts in the patent system including Paul Michel, Chief Judge (retired) of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Dr. Pinchus Laufer from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and other high-level speakers. [Link]
  • Mizzou will be hosting its annual Missouri Technology Expo on September 8th. The event is held as a way of uniting innovators with those who can advance, develop and commercialize technologies. The guest speakers include, Christopher "Kit" Bond, Gregg Scheller, Suzanne Magee and many others. Several investment groups will be on hand, such as The Incubation Factory, DFJ Mercury, Allied Minds and many others. This will be a great event for patent attorneys and many others to network and build business relationships. [Link]
  • The 2nd European Pharmaceutical Regulatory Law Forum will be held in Brussels, Belgium September 21-22nd. The forum will focus on recent developments affecting the pharma industry in Europe and will discuss the impact of US developments on European companies. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 10 for a 10% discount) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's Life Sciences Business Development & Acquisitions in Emerging Markets conference is scheduled for September 26-27 in New York, NY. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Boston University School of Law and the Kauffman Foundation will be holding a Workshop on Innovation and Patent Harmonization at Boston University School of Management on September 30-October 1. The workshop will cover the effect of harmonization in both advanced countries, such as the US, and in developing nations, with a particular focus on China. Anyone interested in attending, please RSVP to Elizabeth Aggot at eaa@bu.edu. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's 12th Annual Maximizing Pharmaceutical Patent Life Cycles will take place in New York on October 4th-5th. The conference is one of the leading sources of information and analysis on the patent life cycle management. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • C5 will be holding the 21st annual Forum on Biotech Patenting in London on October 5th-6th. The 2011 London Biotech Patenting Forum will focus on the latest legal developments affecting biotech companies and how to implement successful methods and strategies for drafting and filing patent applications in multiple jurisdictions. (Patently-O readers can save 100 pounds by using discount code PO 100) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Riles, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. (Register by 8/31 to receive a $100 discount) [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Patent

No Software Patent When it Merely Implement's Mental Steps

  • The Federal Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of summary judgment of invalidity of software patent claims asserted in CyberSource v. Retail Decisions. In its Decision, the Federal Circuit explains that a method that can be performed purely mentally is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 101, even if the claim is tied to computer hardware. [Link] This decision cited Bilski, stating that the "application of [only] human intelligence to the solution of practical problems is no more than a claim to a fundamental principle." [Decision]

Italy and Spain launches legal challenge against 25 EU member countries

  • Italy applied to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) asking it to rescind an EU decision taken in March that allowed the 25 countries to press ahead with proposals to create a single mechanism for gaining patent protection across Europe. Italy claims that the agreement is unlawful and will distort competition with the EU. [Link]

100 Best Legal Blogs

  • The ABA is working on their annual list of the 100 best legal blogs and they would like your advice on which blogs to include. If you would like to tell the ABA about your favorite blog or blogs they are accepting Friend-of-the-blawg briefs, which are due no later than 9/9/2011. [Link]

New Blog!

  • The "Bottom-Line Business Blog" deals with intellectual property business issues as they affect the intellectual property owner. The author of the "Bottom-Line Business Blog" is San Diego IP attorney Robert Cogan. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • The USPTO has openings for Administrative Patent Judges in several different specialties. [Link]
  • Sigma-Aldrich is seeking 2 patent attorneys, 1 with a background in material science/chemistry and the other with a background in molecular biology. [Link]
  • Squire, Sanders & Dempsey is seeking an experienced patent agent. [Link]
  • Proteostasis is searching for a patent attorney with 5+ years of experience and a chemical or biological background. [Link]
  • Pachira is looking for a principal technology advisor with at least 10 years of experience and an engineering background. [Link]
  • Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge is seeking an IP associate with 3-4 years of experience and a mechanical engineering background. [Link]
  • Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack is searching for a patent attorney with at least 1 year of experience and a B.S. in chemistry. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • The D.C., Northern Virginia and Baltimore Sections of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and National Small Business Association (NSBA) will be hosting the upcoming forum on "The Overhaul of U.S. Patent Law on August 29 in Washington D.C. The Forum will offer small-business owners, entrepreneurs, technical professionals and inventors the opportunity to hear from experienced entrepreneurs, investors and experts in the patent system including Paul Michel, Chief Judge (retired) of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Dr. Pinchus Laufer from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and other high-level speakers. [Link]
  • Mizzou will be hosting its annual Missouri Technology Expo on September 8th. The event is held as a way of uniting innovators with those who can advance, develop and commercialize technologies. The guest speakers include, Christopher "Kit" Bond, Gregg Scheller, Suzanne Magee and many others. Several investment groups will be on hand, such as The Incubation Factory, DFJ Mercury, Allied Minds and many others. This will be a great event for patent attorneys and many others to network and build business relationships. [Link]
  • The 2nd European Pharmaceutical Regulatory Law Forum will be held in Brussels, Belgium September 21-22nd. The forum will focus on recent developments affecting the pharma industry in Europe and will discuss the impact of US developments on European companies. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 10 for a 10% discount) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's Life Sciences Business Development & Acquisitions in Emerging Markets conference is scheduled for September 26-27 in New York, NY. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Boston University School of Law and the Kauffman Foundation will be holding a Workshop on Innovation and Patent Harmonization at Boston University School of Management on September 30-October 1. The workshop will cover the effect of harmonization in both advanced countries, such as the US, and in developing nations, with a particular focus on China. Anyone interested in attending, please RSVP to Elizabeth Aggot at eaa@bu.edu. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute's 12th Annual Maximizing Pharmaceutical Patent Life Cycles will take place in New York on October 4th-5th. The conference is one of the leading sources of information and analysis on the patent life cycle management. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • C5 will be holding the 21st annual Forum on Biotech Patenting in London on October 5th-6th. The 2011 London Biotech Patenting Forum will focus on the latest legal developments affecting biotech companies and how to implement successful methods and strategies for drafting and filing patent applications in multiple jurisdictions. (Patently-O readers can save 100 pounds by using discount code PO 100) [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Riles, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. (Register by 8/31 to receive a $100 discount) [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Federal Circuit En Banc Patent Decisions

Patent

By Jason Rantanen

A few weeks ago a commenter asked about a list of Federal Circuit en banc patent law decisions.  Despite the seeming importance of such a list, I was unable to find one through either online searching or consulting my favorite treatises.  After sorting through several sources, however, I was able to assemble the following list.  While a handful of the opinions are of limited substance, the bulk of the list consists of seminal patent rulings.  Note that this is only a first pass, and any corrections are welcome.

  1. Hyatt v. Kappos, 625 F.3d 1320 (Fed. Cir. 2010 (en banc)
  2. Princo Corp. v. Int'l Trade Comm'n, 616 F.3d 1318 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (en banc)
  3. Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Eli Lilly and Co., 598 F.3d 1336 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (en banc)
  4. Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. v. St. Jude Med., Inc., 576 F.3d 1348 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (en banc in part)
  5. Abbott Laboratories v. Sandoz, Inc., 566 F.3d 1282 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (en banc in part)
  6. Tafas v. Doll, 559 F.3d 1345 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (en banc)
  7. In re Bilski, 545 F.3d 943 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (en banc)
  8. Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., 543 F.3d 665 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (en banc)
  9. In re Seagate Tech., LLC, 497 F. 3d 1360 ( Fed. Cir. 2007) (en banc)
  10. DSU Med. Corp. v. JMS Co., 471 F.3d 1293 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (en banc in part)
  11. SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Apotex Corp., 453 F.3d 1346 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (en banc)
  12. Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc);
  13. Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH v. Dana Corp., 383 F.3d 1337 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (en banc)
  14. Honeywell Int'l Inc. v. Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., 370 F.3d 1131 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (en banc)
  15. Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., Ltd., 344 F.3d 1359 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (en banc)
  16. Johnson & Johnston Assocs. Inc. v. R.E. Serv. Co., 285 F.3d 1046 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (en banc)
  17. Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., 234 F.3d 558 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (en banc)
  18. Midwest Indus., Inc. v. Karavan Trailers, Inc., 175 F.3d 1356 (Fed. Cir. 1999) (en banc)
  19. Nobelpharma Ab v. Implant Innovations, 141 F.3d 1059 (1998) (en banc in part)
  20. Cybor Corp. v. FAS Techs., Inc., 138 F.3d 1448 (Fed. Cir. 1998) (en banc)
  21. In re Zurko, 142 F.3d 1447 (Fed. Cir. 1998) (en banc)
  22. Hilton Davis Chem. Co. v. Warner-Jenkinson Co., 114 F.3d 1161 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (en banc)
  23. Hilton Davis Chem. Co. v. Warner-Jenkinson Co., 62 F.3d 1512 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (en banc)
  24. In re Trovato, 60 F.3d 807 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (en banc)
  25. Rite-Hite Corp. v. Kelley Co., 56 F.3d 1538 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (en banc)
  26. Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (en banc)
  27. In re Alappat, 33 F.3d 1526 (Fed. Cir. 1994) (en banc)
  28. In re Donaldson Co., 16 F.3d 1189 (Fed. Cir. 1994) (en banc)
  29. A.C. Aukerman Co. v. R.L. Chaides Constr. Co., 960 F.2d 1020 (Fed. Cir. 1992) (en banc)
  30. In re Dillon, 919 F.2d 688 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (en banc)
  31. Beatrice Foods Co. v. New England Printing & Lithographing Co., 899 F.2d 1171 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (en banc)
  32. Aerojet-Gen. Corp. v. Mach. Tool Works,  Oerlikon-Buehrle Ltd., 895 F.2d 736 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (en banc)
  33. Racing Strollers, Inc. v. TRI Indus., Inc., 878 F.2d 1418 (Fed. Cir. 1989) (en banc)
  34. Gavin v. Star Brite Corp.,865 F.2d 269 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (en banc) (nonprecedential)
  35. Kingsdown Med. Consultants, Ltd. v. Hollister, Inc., 863 F.2d 867 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (en banc)
  36. In re Roberts, 846 F.2d 1360 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (en banc)
  37. Pennwalt Corp. v. Durand-Wayland, Inc., 833 F.2d 931 (Fed. Cir. 1987) (en banc)
  38. Woodard v. Sage Prods., Inc., 818 F.2d 841 (Fed. Cir. 1987) (en banc)
  39. Wyden v. Comm'r of Patents & Trademarks, 807 F.2d 934 (Fed. Cir. 1986) (en banc)
  40. SRI Int'l v. Matsushita Elec. Corp., 775 F.2d 1107 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (en banc)
  41. In re Bennett, 766 F.2d 524 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (en banc)
  42. Paulik v. Rizkalla, 760 F.2d 1270 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (en banc)
  43. In re Etter, 756 F.2d 852 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (en banc)
  44. Atari, Inc. v. JS & A Group, Inc., 747 F.2d 1422 (Fed. Cir. 1984) (en banc)
  45. Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338 (Fed. Cir. 1984) (en banc)
  46. South Corp. v. U.S., 690 F. 2d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 1982) (en banc)

Sources: Chisum on Patents; Lee Petherbridge, "Patent Law Uniformity," 22 Harv. J.L. & Tech. 421 (2009); WESTLAW.  Those interested in further reading on en banc Federal Circuit decisions may want to check out Christopher Cotropia's article "Determining Uniformity Within the Federal Circuit By Measuring Dissent and En Banc Review," 43 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 801 (2010).

Update: Shortly after publishing this post, I learned that Professor Ryan Vacca at the University of Akron School of Law has drafted an article on the Federal Circuit's en banc practice, which he recently presented at the Missouri Law Review Symposium.  Professor Vacca argues that these practices make the court look much like that of an administrative agency engaging in substantive rulemaking, a role that he suggests is beneficial in shaping patent policy as a whole.  Along with the substantive analysis, the article includes an appendix listing the court's en banc decisions.  A draft of the piece, entitled "Acting Like an Administrative Agency: The Federal Circuit En Banc" is available on ssrn, and I recommend that anyone interested in the CAFC's en banc practices should take a look at it.

Transition: Chief Judge Michel –> Chief Judge Rader

Patent, ,

Transition: May 31 is Chief Judge Paul Michel’s last day on the bench.  Judge Randall Rader will become the next Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 

The Court today released two interesting patent opinions authored by the Chief: Dow Jones v. Ablaise (finding patent invalid as obvious) and Leviton v. Universal Security Instruments (vacating summary judgment of inequitable conduct). 

There are several pending en banc cases, including Princo v. ITC (patent pools and antitrust), Hyatt v. Kappos (Admissibility of new evidence in a Section 145 action), Therasense v. BD (standards of inequitable conduct), and TiVo v. EchoStar (contempt proceedings against adjuged infringer who introduced new infringing products). 

Combinatorics: With Chief Judge Michel gone, it may be more difficult for en banc panels to overturn prior precedent.  With Chief Judge Michel, the court has 11 members and needs a 6–judge majority to overturn prior precedent. Without the Chief, the court will have only 10 members but will still need 6–judges for such a “majority.” With the 11–judge panel, half of the potential outcomes result in majority panel sufficient to overturn prior precedent. With a 10–judge panel, only 38% of the potential outcomes have the same result. (This assumes a binary yes/no on the potential majority position).  Chief Judge Michel is particularly important because of his tendancy to side with the majority. In the past decade, Judge Michel has filed fewer dissinting opinions than any other Judge on the Circuit except for Judge Moore (who has only been on the bench for three years).  (Judge Newman has filed the most dissenting opinions.)

Next Vacancies: Several other Federal Circuit judges are currently eligible to take senior status. These include Judges Newman, Mayer, Lourie, Gajarsa, and Dyk. Judge Byrson will be eligible in August 2010.

Next Chief Judge After Judge Rader: Judge Kimberly Moore sits as the heir apparent following Judge Rader — assuming that he remains Chief Judge for a full seven years. If Judge Rader vacates the Chief position within six-years, Judge Prost would become Chief.

Chief Judge Michel: State of the Court

Patent,

Chief Judge Paul Michel will be retiring from the bench later this month after more than twenty-two years on the bench and five as the chief judge.  He recently offered his annual “state of the court” address at the court’s annual judicial conference. [Read Judge Michel’s remarks].

As Chief, Judge Michel has taken a specific interest in ensuring that the court runs efficiently and quickly. His remarks:

By every measure our decisions continue to be issued more rapidly. As a result, our inventory of pending appeals has dropped from over 1,400 just a few years ago to only 819 as of April 30. Indeed, as of October 1, 2009 it was 897, so the reductions continue.

One benefit is that we hear cases more quickly. In Fiscal year 2006, for example, only 49% of ready cases could be scheduled for argument without delay. By last year, the number was 84%. This year it will likely rise even further.

Another metric we watch is the percentage of appeals decided within 90 days of argument. This number has ranged recently from 75 to 83%. Likely it will reach 85% this year.

Judge Michel also briefly discussed the pending en banc cases:

  • Last October we agreed to rehear en banc Princo v. ITC, involving a patent misuse defense based on a patent pool licensing agreement. Argument was held in March. [This case was argued by Edward DuMont. DuMont has been nominated to fill Judge Michel’s place on the bench]
  • In February, we granted rehearing en banc in Hyatt v. Kappos, asking the parties to brief any limitations on admissibility of evidence in § 145 patenting actions in district court. Argument is scheduled for July 8.
  • In March, we agreed to rehear Slattery v. United States, a Winstar case, asking whether the FDIC is a non-appropriated funds instrumentality and how the answer to that affects the jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims.
  • In April we granted rehearing en banc in Therasense v. Becton, Dickinson, in which we will reconsider the standards for determining inequitable conduct. 
  • This month, we granted rehearing in TiVo v. Echostar, concerning when contempt proceedings are appropriate as opposed to a new infringement trial on a product that has been altered after the original was found to infringe.
  • And of course all eyes are on the impending decision in In Re Bilski, concerning the test for patent eligibility.

Although stepping-down from the bench, Chief Judge Michel is “not retiring, but merely changing mission.” He reports that he expects to play a greater role for campaigning for stronger support the courts and USPTO and may also spend some time as a mediator.

PatentLawPic989

Patently-O Bits and Bytes No. 40

Attorney Fees, Bits and Bytes, Patent
  • Sitting by Designation: The CAFC has continued to offer district court judges from across the country the opportunity to sit on the appellate bench for a day. On June 3, 2008, Judge Ward from the Eastern District of Texas filled out a panel with Judges Newman and Gajarsa. They will be deciding three patent cases: Hyatt v. Dudas (waiver of arguments before the BPAI); Atlanta Pharma v. Teva (appeal from denial of preliminary injunction to stop teva from selling a generic version of the ulcer med Protonix); and D Beam v. Roller Derby.
  • New USPTO Fees: They are going up, but you can put in your two cents by July 3. [New Fees][Contact Walter.Schlueter@uspto.gov. Include RIN number RIN 0651–AC21 in the subject line.]
  • FTC Commissioner Rosch recently spoke about patents and antitrust. He believes that the FTC Act, the Clayton Act and the Sherman Act all create “viable enforcement tools” against companies that create “patent walls” — especially when they acquire those patents from third parties. The FTC is currently going after N-Data in a case where the patent covers an ethernet standard. [N-Data][Zura’s Comments] Three important cases on this issue:
    • US v. Singer Mfg (Antitrust violation to charge competitors with patent infringement after U.S. company obtained patent from Swiss company)
    • Kobe v. Dempsey Pump (obtaining and using “every important patent” in the field in order to exclude competition, together with other anticompetitive activity, constitutes an antitrust violation)
    • Case of Xerox Corp (settlement consent decree where FTC challenged Xerox’s purchase of additional plain paper copier patents).
  • Pre-Purchase Review: There is some room to debate here on the question of organic-patenting (patents on inventions via the company’s own R&D) versus acquisitional-patenting (buying up patents invented by others). At the firm level, acquisitional growth is typically reviewed much more harshly for potential antitrust violations than is organic growth. Is the FTC/DOJ headed toward a system of pre-purchase review of major patent acquisitions in the same way that the agencies conduct pre-merger reviews?

Patently-O Bits and Bytes No. 17

Patent
  • Increasing Complexity: The House Judiciary Subcommittee on IP is holding its PTO oversight hearing on Feb 27 at 1:30 pm. These graphs, originally from Patently-O, will be used by POPA when demanding enhanced examiner pay.
  • Judicial Conference: The CAFC’s Judicial Conference is scheduled for May 15, 2008 in DC at the Grand Hyatt. INFO.
  • Seagate: The Supreme Court has declined to grant certiorari in the Seagate decision. That decision has eliminated much of the need for a formal opinion of counsel prepared for litigation.  Expect a study next summer showing treble damages in severe decline.
  • Supreme Court Quanta: Quanta is awaiting decision. This decision may follow antitrust regulation and inject more economic analysis into decisions of whether particular license agreements are acceptable.
  • Supreme Court Biomedical v. California: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed an amicus brief supporting Biomedical Devices in its attempt to strip California of its immunity from patent infringement litigation.  For an unknown reason, the IP Bar associations have refused to provide any input on this case.
  • EPC 2000: The European Patent Convention has received its first major revision in 30 years. Nicholas Fox provides an excellent summary in book form for £25. Hat tip to Bill Heinze.

Patent Refom: Unsettling Rights

Patent, Patent Legislation,

Patent.Law056By Dennis Crouch

There have been numerous reports calling the US Patent System broken or at least in need of severe repair. From my view, the greatest problems with US patent law arise because of its common lack of clearly drawn property lines.  In academic lingo, we call this a failure of the public notice function.  

Examples of the fuzzy lines of patent law are well known to Patently-O readers and include the secret rights of unpublished patent applications; shifting rights that may be altered via extended prosecution, future continuing applications, and second look examination; and uncertain rights potentially crumbling under the vagaries of claim construction and obviousness jurisprudence.

These problems are exacerbated in certain technology areas – such as electronics – by massively overlapping claims and speculators asserting patents in a seemingly more aggressive fashion.  At the same time, there is a strong consensus that these issues do not arise in the same fashion in the pharmaceutical and bio-technological areas. Pharmaceutical patent law is often heralded as an incredible success — especially in the post Hatch-Waxman days of strong generic competition.

Now comes the Patent Reform Act of 2007. Unfortunately, the proposed patent reforms now being debated by the Senate do virtually noting to address these serious problems and instead potentially cause harm to the current regime.

CAFC Chief Judge Michel has publicly discussed patent reform and its potential impact on the judicial process. Apart from the Chief’s particular quarrels with damage apportionment and expanded interlocutory appeals, he makes a particular point about the destabilizing effect of major Congressional patent reforms.  In the decades following reforms, each amended word will be litigated and eventually construed. Unfortunately, during the wait for new statutory interpretations, patent holders and accused infringers will be left guessing.  Judge Michel’s ultimate point is that changes in the property regime should only be made when we have a genuine reason to believe that the changes will improve the system as a whole.  For the majority of the proposed patent reforms, that case simply has not yet been made.

 

Patent Lawyer / Agent – Law Firm – Denver, Colo.

, ,

brownsteinThe Denver office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck seeks a lawyer or patent agent with at least three years of patent prosecution experience. Qualified candidates must be admitted to practice before the USPTO and hold a Ph.D. in one of the following fields: biology, molecular/cellular biology, microbiology, neurobiology or immunology.  Fulltime preferred, contract considered.

No search firms, please.

Contact
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and transcript to Jamie Olberding, Director of Attorney Recruiting and Integration, at jolberding@bhfs.com.  EOE

Additional Info
Employer Type: Law Firm
Job Location: Denver, Colorado

Trademark, Copyright & Media Associate – Law Firm – Denver, Colo.

, , , , ,

The Denver office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck has a position available for immediate filling in the trademark, copyrights, media, and brand protection group.  Our dynamic and growing practice is looking for an associate with 2-4 years of hands-on experience in brand management, portfolio management, and trademark clearance, counseling, and prosecution.  Our clients include internationally known casino and gaming companies, recognizable cosmetic and food and beverage brands, and pet industry mainstays.  This availability presents the right candidate with the opportunity to grow as a trademark attorney in a fast-paced environment working closely with our current team of specialists and the decision-makers at our clients.  The ideal candidate will have significant experience with USPTO prosecution, strategy, and day-to-day management of trademark portfolios as well as a familiarity with advertising, marketing and promotions matters.  Our IP department seeks individuals who are motivated to succeed, pay close attention to detail, and have strong communication skills.  We place heavy emphasis on the ability to thrive in a collegial and collaborative atmosphere and offer a competitive salary and benefits.

Contact
Please apply by sending a cover letter, resume, references, writing sample, and transcripts to Jamie Olberding, Director of Attorney Recruiting and Integration, at jolberding@bhfs.com. EOE

Additional Info
Employer Type: Law Firm
Job Location: Denver, Colorado

IP Associate – Law Firm – Denver, Colo.

, , , , ,

The Denver office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is seeking an Intellectual Property Associate for the firm’s patent group. Qualified candidates will have an undergraduate or advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering, or similar discipline.  USPTO admission preferred with 2-5 years of patent drafting and prosecution experience. Excellent academic performance, strong writing and analytical skills, interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team environment required.

Contact
Please submit resume, transcripts, writing sample and professional references to Jamie Olberding, Attorney Recruiting Manager, at jolberding@bhfs.com.

Additional Info
Employer Type: Law Firm
Job Location: Denver, Colorado

The USPTO is hiring in Denver

, , ,

logoThe U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) — named the #1 place to work in Federal Government — is opening a satellite office in Denver, CO this summer, and we're looking for top talent to join our team.

On Friday, March 7, 2014 and Saturday March 8, 2014 USPTO will host a career fair at the Hyatt Regency Denver Convention Center downtown at 650 15th Street. We will hold ongoing information sessions and then meet with individuals who meet the basic Patent Examiner position requirements. Those who qualify will be encouraged to apply via USAJobs (candidates cannot be officially considered for open positions without submitting a complete application).

Register online to attend

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Where Will the Patent Satellite Offices Open!

  • There currently is a lot of lobbying going on by politicians to bring the USPTO to their state. Lawmakers from Silicon Valley, Colorado and Texas are trying to win one of the two satellite offices, since Detroit already is entitled to an office under Leahy-Smith. Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, sent a letter to David Kappos trying to sell him on the Rocky Mountain State. Also California lawmakers Anna Eshoo and nine other from sent a letter to Obama making their pitch for Silicon Valley. [Link]

Beacon Navigation Files Suit Against Car Makers

  • On October 11th Beacon Navigation filed patent infringement suits against all the big name automobile manufactures. Beacon claims that automobile manufactures infringed either all or some of their patents including 5,819,201, 6,163,269, & 5,878,368. Beacon claims that because the GPS navigation systems in their products are specially adapted for an infringing use of each patent, and embody a material part of the inventions claimed in each patent. As noted by PriorSmart, Beacon is the first plaintiff to file a high volume of individual cases since the new joinder restrictions were enacted. [Complaint]

Mark T. Banner Scholarship

  • The Richard Linn American Inn of Court is proud to offer the Mark T. Banner Scholarship for law students. This scholarship is part of The Richard Linn American Inn of Court's commitment to fostering the development of intellectual property lawyers of high ethics, civility and professionalism, and especially those from diverse backgrounds. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • Harman International is seeking a patent attorney with at least 8 years of experience. [Link]
  • Klarquist Sparkman is searching for lateral patent associates or patent agents with at least 1-4 years of experience. [Link]
  • Klarquist Sparkman is searching for a patent attorney or patent agent with 3+ years of experience. [Link]
  • Lee & Hayes is looking for patent attorneys with at least 3 years of experience. [Link]
  • Withrow & Terranova is seeking patent attorneys or patent agents with at least one year of experience. [Link]
  • Trading Technologies is searching for a patent agent with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
  • Trading Technologies is seeking a patent attorney with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
  • Volpe and Koenig is looking for a Japanese patent paralegal with prior experience as a patent paralegal. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • The 2011 AIPLA Annual Meeting will be held October 20-22, in Washington, DC. The Annual Meeting will bring nearly 2,000 IP professionals together to meet, share, and connect with one another and provide insight into some of the most pressing issues facing our profession today! Over 100 IP Professionals, from corporations, law firms, universities, the courts, federal agencies, with expertise both domestically and internationally will be presenting on a varied landscape of IP issues. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Ries, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. [Link]
  • The University of Texas at Austin will hold its 16th Annual Advanced Patent Law Institute on October 27-28. The program will cover: recent developments in claims construction and claims drafting, cost savings in litigation, inequitable conduct after Therasense, and many other topics. [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]
  • World Research Group, an official Patently-O Jobs sponsor, is hosting the 3rd Annual Social TechNet Intellectual Property Forum Nov. 16-17 in New York. This conference provides solutions to the most prevalent in-house software and online IP protection and management issues. (Patently-O readers can save $200 by using promo code ABY668) [Link]
  • IBC will hold a Standards and Patents Conference in London on November 16th & 17th. The conference will analyze the interplay between standards, intellectual property and competition law. There will be 28 speakers representing various organizations, such as, the European Commission, Mr. Justice Floyd, IBM, Qualcomm Europe, Nokia, GE Healthcare and Intel. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
  • IBC will hold a US Patent Reform Congress Conference on November 18th in London. The conference will focus in the impact of the Leahy-Smith America Invents for the European practitioner, with expertise from the EPO, AIPLA, USPTO and more. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
  • The American Conference Institute's 2nd Annual Forum on: Paragraph IV Disputes will be held in San Francisco on December 7th. Experienced faculty of renowned litigators and judges will guide attendees through every stage of a Paragraph IV challenge to help them formulate offensive moves and defensive plays. (Patently-O readers can receive a discount by registering with code PO 200) [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Where Will the Patent Satellite Offices Open!

  • There currently is a lot of lobbying going on by politicians to bring the USPTO to their state. Lawmakers from Silicon Valley, Colorado and Texas are trying to win one of the two satellite offices, since Detroit already is entitled to an office under Leahy-Smith. Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, sent a letter to David Kappos trying to sell him on the Rocky Mountain State. Also California lawmakers Anna Eshoo and nine other from sent a letter to Obama making their pitch for Silicon Valley. [Link]

Beacon Navigation Files Suit Against Car Makers

  • On October 11th Beacon Navigation filed patent infringement suits against all the big name automobile manufactures. Beacon claims that automobile manufactures infringed either all or some of their patents including 5,819,201, 6,163,269, & 5,878,368. Beacon claims that because the GPS navigation systems in their products are specially adapted for an infringing use of each patent, and embody a material part of the inventions claimed in each patent. As noted by PriorSmart, Beacon is the first plaintiff to file a high volume of individual cases since the new joinder restrictions were enacted. [Complaint]

Mark T. Banner Scholarship

  • The Richard Linn American Inn of Court is proud to offer the Mark T. Banner Scholarship for law students. This scholarship is part of The Richard Linn American Inn of Court's commitment to fostering the development of intellectual property lawyers of high ethics, civility and professionalism, and especially those from diverse backgrounds. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • Harman International is seeking a patent attorney with at least 8 years of experience. [Link]
  • Klarquist Sparkman is searching for lateral patent associates or patent agents with at least 1-4 years of experience. [Link]
  • Klarquist Sparkman is searching for a patent attorney or patent agent with 3+ years of experience. [Link]
  • Lee & Hayes is looking for patent attorneys with at least 3 years of experience. [Link]
  • Withrow & Terranova is seeking patent attorneys or patent agents with at least one year of experience. [Link]
  • Trading Technologies is searching for a patent agent with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
  • Trading Technologies is seeking a patent attorney with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
  • Volpe and Koenig is looking for a Japanese patent paralegal with prior experience as a patent paralegal. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • The 2011 AIPLA Annual Meeting will be held October 20-22, in Washington, DC. The Annual Meeting will bring nearly 2,000 IP professionals together to meet, share, and connect with one another and provide insight into some of the most pressing issues facing our profession today! Over 100 IP Professionals, from corporations, law firms, universities, the courts, federal agencies, with expertise both domestically and internationally will be presenting on a varied landscape of IP issues. [Link]
  • American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25th-October 26th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
  • Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Ries, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. [Link]
  • The University of Texas at Austin will hold its 16th Annual Advanced Patent Law Institute on October 27-28. The program will cover: recent developments in claims construction and claims drafting, cost savings in litigation, inequitable conduct after Therasense, and many other topics. [Link]
  • IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6th – 8th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]
  • World Research Group, an official Patently-O Jobs sponsor, is hosting the 3rd Annual Social TechNet Intellectual Property Forum Nov. 16-17 in New York. This conference provides solutions to the most prevalent in-house software and online IP protection and management issues. (Patently-O readers can save $200 by using promo code ABY668) [Link]
  • IBC will hold a Standards and Patents Conference in London on November 16th & 17th. The conference will analyze the interplay between standards, intellectual property and competition law. There will be 28 speakers representing various organizations, such as, the European Commission, Mr. Justice Floyd, IBM, Qualcomm Europe, Nokia, GE Healthcare and Intel. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
  • IBC will hold a US Patent Reform Congress Conference on November 18th in London. The conference will focus in the impact of the Leahy-Smith America Invents for the European practitioner, with expertise from the EPO, AIPLA, USPTO and more. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
  • The American Conference Institute's 2nd Annual Forum on: Paragraph IV Disputes will be held in San Francisco on December 7th. Experienced faculty of renowned litigators and judges will guide attendees through every stage of a Paragraph IV challenge to help them formulate offensive moves and defensive plays. (Patently-O readers can receive a discount by registering with code PO 200) [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.

Patent Office Director, Jon Dudas, to Announce Improvements to Patent Process

At Friday's Town Hall Meeting on Patent Reform in Chicago, Jon Dudas, the Director of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office is expected to announce a number of new initiatives to improve patent quality, decrease pendency time, and decrease patent prosecution costs.  According to Bridgid Quinn, the PTO's Public Affairs Chief, "one program will save patent applicants $30 million annually."

I am planning to be at the town meeting, but as luck would have it, I forgot to pre-register.  Hopefully I can simply flash my Patently-O badge and get free entry.  If you are attending, come say hello. (Here is my picture, but I won't be wearing a suit.).

Info:

  • Friday March 4, 2005 (All Day)
  • Hyatt Regency Hotel at McCormick Place
  • Brochure

Restoring the America Invents Act

Patent

by Dennis Crouch

Sen. Leahy and Sen. Cornyn have introduced the “Restoring the America Invents Act” designed to further address problems caused by the USPTO’s issuance of “poor-quality patents.”

The proposal is basically a wish list of patent-killers seeking to cancel patent rights via inter partes review.

Key elements of the proposal:

  • Removal of Discretional Denials of Institution.  The proposal would substantially limit PTO Director’s discretion to deny institution.  The new provision would state that “a petition that meets the requirements of this chapter shall be instituted …”  The Director would maintain limited discretion to deny or alter institution based upon multiple proceedings involving the same patent or member of the same patent family pending before the Office.  The statute would create a rebuttable presumption of consolidation.
  • Expanding the Scope of Inter Partes Review.  Currently, IPR’s can only focus on patentability grounds “raised under section 102 or 103 and only on the basis of prior art consisting of patents or printed publications.”   The proposal would expand this to also include “admissions in the patent specification, drawings, or claims” and also “statutory or obviousness-type double patenting.”
  • More Powerful Stays. The new statute would list factors that a district court should consider when determining whether or not to grant a stay, all the changes would tend to promote stays of the litigation.  The provisional would also permit an immediate right to appeal the district court’s stay decision.
  • Codifying the Rules on Amending Claims: The patent owner will have the burden of proving the patentability of any amended claim, including Sections 101, 102, 103, and 112 before the PTAB who will act as an examiner in that regard.
  • Prior Dismissal of Without Prejudice: A lawsuit involving the patent that was dismissed without prejudice would no longer trigger 1-year deadline for filing an IPR petition.
  • Codify a procedure for Director Review under Arthrex.  Although the procedure requires the director to provide a “written opinion” setting forth any reasoning, it does not appear to require director review or reasons for denial of review.
  • Rejecting Return Mail.  The proposal would add “a governmental entity” to the people who can petition for IPR.  This would overturn the Supreme Court decision in Return Mail which held that the U.S. Gov’t was not a “person” for the purposes of this portion of the statute.
  • Extend timing of ending proceedings before the office until the conclusion of any appeal. 325(e)(1).
  • Expanded Estoppel against the Patent Owner: “The Office may not issue to a patent owner any claim that is not patentably distinct from a claim that was issued and was subsequently—(i) found to be unpatentable; or (ii) canceled in any proceeding before the Office, including under section 135, 251, 253, 301, 311, or 321.’”
  • Attempting to Eliminate Outside Influence on Panels from Within the USPTO: “EX PARTE COMMUNICATION.—An officer who has review authority, supervisory authority, or disciplinary authority with respect to an administrative patent judge of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (or a delegate of such an officer), and who is not a member of a panel … shall refrain from ex parte communication with such a judge who is a member of that panel concerning any pending matter before that panel, except as allowed under the Code of Conduct for United States Judges.”
  • Standing to appeal: The new law would attempt to cobble-together additional injury by presuming injury in fact based upon the estoppel, etc.
  • No Standing then No Estoppel: The new law would open the door further to speculative filing of IPR petitions. In particular, the proposal would modify the law so that a party who lacks standing to appeal its loss before the PTAB would not later be estopped based upon the IPR outcome.