FedCircuitBlog

• Federal Circuit Affirms District Court’s Eligibility Analysis – In Packet Intelligence, LLC v. Netscout Systems, Inc., the court held NetScout willfully infringed Packet Intelligence’s patents, rejecting NetScout’s argument that the patents were directed toward an abstract idea.
• Nike and Adidas Escape Patent Claims Over Athletic-Shoe Soles – According to a Federal Circuit decision on July 16, the shoe companies did not infringe Akeva’s wear-reducing patent because the companies’ shoes do not have detachable soles.
• Patent invalidity claim is no cure for ITC’s import ban on grippy mugs – On July 16, the Federal Circuit ruled that a party cannot challenge a general ITC exclusion order barring importation of products for infringing a patent by claiming the patent is invalid.

Here’s the latest.

• U.S. Wrongly Linked 3 Steel Companies In Duty Probe – The U.S. Department of Commerce improperly tied steel companies together in an anti-dumping investigation, said the Federal Circuit.
• All Substantial Rights Deemed Test Informative – With the decision in Immunex Corp. v. Sandoz Inc., the Federal Circuit endorses the “all substantial rights” test for the first time.
• Section 315(a) Calls At Institution Cannot Be Reviewed – Finally, the Federal Circuit applied the recent Supreme Court decision in Thryv, Inc. v. Click-to-Call Techs to a Section 315(a) and (b) case.

Here’s the latest.

• Federal Circuit Denies Uniloc’s Motion to Seal Documents – In Uniloc 2017 LLC v. Apple, Inc., the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s no-seal order, with the exception of third party licensees who were promised confidentiality.
• Toyota Fails to Revive Patent on Fingerprint-Reducing Coating – On Friday, the Federal Circuit agreed with PTAB’s conclusion that Toyota’s patent for reducing fingerprints on touchscreens was invalid for obviousness in Toyota Motor Corp. v. Reactive Surfaces Ltd.
• Federal Circuit’s Ruling Could Make it Easier to Prove Infringement of SEPs – In Godo Kaisha IP Bridge I v. TCL Commc’n Tech. Holdings Ltd., the Federal Circuit seemed unconvinced by TCL’s oral argument against the district court’s finding that TCL infringed two IP Bridge patents.

Here’s the latest.

• Federal Circuit Keeps Expanding Appointments Decision – The Arthrex, Inc. v. Smith & Nephew, Inc. decision was broadened to also encompass ex parte appeals according to the Federal Circuit’s precedential ruling in In re Boloro Global Ltd. on Tuesday.
• BofA’s $173M Refund Suit Belongs In Claims Court – The Federal Circuit vacated and remanded Bank of America Corp. v. United States to the Court of Federal claims because the district court lacked standing under Section 1346(a)(1) of the U.S. Judicial Code.
• Fitbit Given Another Shot At Nixing Biometrics Patent – Fitbit, pursuant to the Federal Circuit’s precedential opinion in Fitbit, Inc. v. Valencell, Inc., was granted a second chance to invalidate all of Valencell’s claims because of an erroneous standing ruling by the PTAB.

Here’s the latest.

• Apple loses seven-year import duty legal fight – The Federal Circuit affirmed the U.S. Government’s categorization of Apple’s iPad Smart Covers, thereby subjecting the models to tariffs.
• Federal Circuit Affirmed Win Against Database Platform – Hulu successfully challenged a database patent in Sound View Innovations, LLC v. Hulu, LLC.
• Federal Circuit Vacates Denial of Attorneys’ Fees – In a precedential opinion, the Federal Circuit held that the district court must consider the objective unreasonableness of an infringement claim in determining whether to grant attorneys’ fees.

Here’s the latest.

• Amgen Defeats Appeal Over Arthritis Drug Patents – Amgen successfully defends its multi-billion-dollar arthritis drug patents in the Federal Circuit on Wednesday.
• Federal Circuit Affirms PTAB Ax Of Aircraft Space-Saving IP – The Federal Circuit, in a precedential decision, invalidated two aircraft patents in B/E Aerospace Inc. v. C&D Zodiac Inc.
• No rehearing for Biogen in Tecfidera patent appeal – Biogen was denied an en banc rehearing of Biogen International GmbH v. Banner Life Sciences LLC, finalizing Banner’s win in the Federal Circuit.

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• Two of Nike’s Flyknit Patents Prevail – Adidas was unable to prove two of Nike’s Flyknit technology patents were unpatentable as obvious.
• Parts of Shoe Illumination Patent Invalidated – In Shoes by Firebug LLC v. Stride Rite Children’s Grp., LLC, the court affirmed the PTAB’s decision finding the claims obvious.
• Federal Circuit Issues Modifications to Building Access Order – Limited building access now allowed on a case-by-case basis.

Here’s the latest.

• Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Steel Tariffs – The Supreme Court cemented the Trump administration’s victory over steel and aluminum importers by denying cert for American Institute for International Steel, Inc. v. United States.
• Cert Denied in Rovi-Comcast ITC Dispute – The Supreme Court also upheld the International Trade Commission’s ruling against Comcast by denying Comcast Corp. v. International Trade Commission.
• Federal Circuit Backs Ford’s Design Patent Win – Ford wins big in automotive patent infringement case upholding the lower court’s decision in Ford Global Technologies, LLC v. New World International, Inc.

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• Dropbox’s Claims Covered Only Abstract Ideas – The Federal Circuit dismissed all three patent infringement claims against Synchronoss.
• Spinco’s Petition for Mandamus Denied – First-filed status is not yet determined by which court first secures personal jurisdiction over the parties.
• Federal Circuit Adopts New Amendment to the Federal Rules of Practice – After a period of public comment, the court has adopted new amendments to the Federal Circuit Rules of Practice and Federal Circuit Attorney Discipline Rules.

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• New Suits Against Amazon Barred Under Claim Preclusion – Relying on a 1907 decision, the Federal Circuit bars suits against Amazon’s customers.
• Supreme Court Will Not Hear Eli Lilly Patent Appeal – This week, the Supreme Court denied two petitions both relating to a chemotherapy treatment for lung cancer.
• Federal Circuit Upholds Dumping Duties – Chinese solar cell companies were kept accountable for dumping thanks to a recent Federal Circuit ruling.

Here’s the latest.