This morning, the Federal Circuit released one nonprecedential opinion and three nonprecedential orders. The opinion addresses an appeal in a patent case, disputing the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s claim construction and ultimate decision declaring certain claims unpatentable. The orders are dismissals. Here is the introduction to the opinion and links to the orders.
Bell Semiconductor LLC v. Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. (Nonprecedential)
Bell Semiconductor LLC is the patent owner of record, by assignment in 2020, of U.S. Patent No. 6,624,007, which describes and claims methods for making semiconductor devices. Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. petitioned the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) for an inter partes review (IPR) of all of the ’007 patent’s claims (1–8) under 35 U.S.C. §§ 311–319. After Bell disclaimed claim 8, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, acting as delegatee of the PTO’s Director, instituted the requested review of claims 1–7. The Board ultimately issued a final written decision under 35 U.S.C. § 318 determining that claims 1–7 are unpatentable. Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. v. Bell Semiconductor, LLC, No. IPR2021-00180, 2022 WL 1797393 (P.T.A.B. June 2, 2022) (Decision).
Bell appeals the final written decision under 35 U.S.C. §§ 319 and 141(c). The appeal was timely filed under 35 U.S.C. § 142 and 37 C.F.R. § 90.3(a)(1). Bell principally challenges the Board’s claim construction. We affirm.