Author Archives: Tim Bianchi

Shire’s Granted Motion to Amend Offers Additional Insight Into PTAB Amendment Practice

When a patent undergoes review at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”), the Patent Owner has an opportunity to file a motion to amend claims so that a substitute claim can be proposed for each claim sought to be amended. … Continue reading

Posted in claim challenges, inter partes review, Motion to Amend, prior art, PTAB, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ChanBond Avoids Institution of Six Cisco IPR Petitions

ChanBond sued several cable company defendants alleging patent infringement of three wideband signal distribution system patents in the District of Delaware in 2015.  The defendants included Atlantic Broadband Group, Bright House Networks, Cable One, Cablevision, Cequel Communications, Charter Communications, Comcast … Continue reading

Posted in 315(b) One Year Bar, Broadest Reasonable Interpretation standard, Claim Construction, inter partes review, Litigation, PTAB, PTAB Patent Trials | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Best Practices and Strategies for Patent Procurement and Enforcement Webinar Series

Looking for a holistic view of best practices and strategies for patent procurement and enforcement?  You are invited to attend a free, two-part webinar on best patent practices. Click this link to register.  I will be co-presenting with Christopher Larus of … Continue reading

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PTAB Narrows Its Preliminary Claim Interpretation To Uphold Cellular Patent

In July, 2014 Ericsson Inc. and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (“Ericsson”) petitioned for inter partes review of claims 1, 2, 8-12 and 18-22 of U.S. Patent No. 7,787,431 owned by Intellectual Ventures II  LLC (“IV”).  In February, 2015, the Board instituted … Continue reading

Posted in Broadest Reasonable Interpretation standard, claim challenges, Claim Construction, Expert Witnesses, inter partes review, prior art, PTAB, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are Patent-Friendly PTAB Decisions On the Rise?

Patent litigation changed with passage of the America Invents Act. Overnight the PTAB became a new venue for challenging patent claims using IPRs, CBMs and PGRs. The initial reaction by the patent bar to the PTAB’s “take charge” approach to … Continue reading

Posted in America Invents Act, claim challenges, Claim Construction, Damages, Future of PTAB Trial Practice, inter partes review, Litigation, Post Grant Review, preponderance of evidence, prior art, PTAB, PTAB Patent Trials, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

PTAB Dismisses Three IPR Petitions Based on Sovereign Immunity

Covidien LP had a license to U.S. Patent 7,062,251, owned by the University of Florida Research Foundation (UFRF, Patent Owner).  UFRF alleged breach of contract by Covidien, and sued Covidien in Florida state court for breach of license.  Covidien counterclaimed … Continue reading

Posted in Adjudicative instead of examinatorial, inter partes review, States rights and sovereign immunity | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Patent Due Diligence and Evaluation After the AIA

Many factors must be considered for due diligence and valuation of a patent portfolio. The patent owner’s desire to have broad claims that capture a large number of infringements must be tempered against its need for claims that will not … Continue reading

Posted in America Invents Act, claim challenges, covered business methods, inter partes review, Litigation, Patent Portfolio Management, Patent Reform, Post Grant Review, Prosecution Guidelines, PTAB, PTAB Patent Trials | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

4 Tips to Make Your Patent Portfolio AIA-Ready

The America Invents Act (AIA) has changed the way that patents are enforced. In traditional patent litigation, a patent was drafted to perform in district court. After the AIA, when patents are asserted, they are first challenged in administrative proceedings … Continue reading

Posted in America Invents Act, claim challenges, covered business methods, inter partes review, Litigation, Post Grant Review, PTAB, PTAB Patent Trials | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Supreme Court’s Stryker/Halo Decision Makes it Easier for Courts to Award Enhanced Damages In Patent Infringement Cases

The recent Supreme Court decisions in the Stryker and Halo cases just made it easier for courts to award enhanced damages in patent infringement cases, discarding Seagate’s “objective recklessness” test. The Seagate Test In 2007, the Federal Circuit announced a test for enhanced … Continue reading

Posted in Damages, enhanced damages, Federal Circuit, Litigation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

PTAB Relies on the Federal Circuit’s Recent § 101 Decision to Deny CBM Institution

On May 12, 2016, the Federal Circuit issued a decision on 101 patent eligibility  that overturned a summary judgment finding of § 101 invalidity for software used for databases.  Enfish, LLC v. Microsoft Corp., No. 2015-1244, 2016 WL 2756266 (Fed. Cir. … Continue reading

Posted in claim challenges, covered business methods, Federal Circuit, patent-eligible subject matter, Post Grant Review, PTAB, PTAB Patent Trials | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment