THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTION REQUIREMENT TO A CLAIM FOR A GENUS CAN BE SATISFIED IF A SINGLE SPECIES OF THAT GENUS IS DISCLOSED AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THAT GENUS ARE WELL KNOWN IN THE ART
| April 20, 2018
Hologic, Inc. v. Smith & Nephew, Inc. and Covidien LP
March 14, 2018
Before Newman, Wallach, and Stoll. Opinion by Stoll.
Summary:
Hologic, Inc. initiated an inter partes reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 8,061,359 (’359 patent. The ’359 patent claims priority to an earlier-filed PCT application with a nearly identical specification. The PTAB found that S&N’s PCT application has sufficient written description so that it is a proper priority document and is not an invalidating obviousness reference. The CAFC held that since substantial evidence supports the PTAB’s finding that the PCT application provides sufficient written description disclosure of the claimed feature, the ’359 patent is entitled to claim priority to the PCT application.
要旨:
米国特許第8,061,359号の当事者系リイグザミネーションに関するものである。当該特許は先行PCT出願とほぼ同一の明細書を含んでおり、この先行PCT出願に対して優先権を主張していた。米国特許庁審判部は、当該PCT出願は優先権主張に対する十分なサポートを含んでおり、よって、優先権主張は有効であるので、当該PCT出願の国際公開が先行技術になることはないと判断した。連邦巡回控訴裁判所(CAFC)は、米国特許庁審判部の判断を支持した。
Tags: drawings > expert declaration > Inter Partes Reexamination > PCT application > priority > written description
Disavowal of Claim Terms is a Stringent Hurdle to Overcome, which must be “Clear and Unmistakable” Disavowal to Limit the Scope of Claims
| August 14, 2013
Plantronics, Inc. v. Aliph, inc. and Aliphcom, Inc.
July 31, 2013
Panel: Rader, O’Malley and Wallach. Opinion by Wallach.
Summary
This is a patent infringement suit by Plantronics against Aliph. Plantronics is owner of US Patent 5,712,453 (‘453 patent) entitled, “Concha Headset Stabilizer.” This is a concha-type headset to anchor in a user’s ear for use in a telephone receiver.
The district court granted-in-part summary judgment for Aliph, for noninfringement and invalidity. After appeal, the Federal Circuit reversed-in-part, vacated in part and remanded for further proceedings. More specifically, the Federal Circuit reversed the summary judgment of noninfringement and invalidity. The discussion below will focus on the issue of noninfringement.
Tags: claim construction > drawings > prosecution history estoppel > restriction > species
