FedCircuitBlog

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit. Highlights include two new denials of petitions for rehearing en banc in patent cases. These petitions raised questions related to claim construction, the scope of inter partes review proceedings, and the evidentiary basis to prove the existence of prior art.  Here are the details.

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit. Highlights include two new petitions for rehearing in patent cases presenting questions related to patent eligibility and claim construction. Here are the details.

Here is a report on recent news and commentary related to the Federal Circuit and its cases. Today’s report highlights:

• an article discussing Apple’s plan to “introduce watches without the blood oxygen monitoring feature” after the Federal Circuit “lifted a stay of the U.S. International Trade Commission’s ban on the original products”; and
• an article highlighting how “[f]our 2023 opinions concerning claim construction from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit offer lessons on how patent prosecution can affect later litigation.”

The Federal Circuit sends us into the weekend with the release of four nonprecedential opinions. One opinion addresses an appeal from the Court of Federal Claims in which a motion for extension to file a notice of appeal was denied. Another opinion addresses an appeal from a final written decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board finding two claims unpatentable as obvious. Finally, two opinions, sharing the same named parties, address appeals from decisions of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board finding certain claims unpatentable as obvious. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released one precedential opinion, three nonprecedential opinions, and one Rule 36 summary affirmance. The precedential opinion, which drew a dissent from Judge Reyna, reverses and remands a decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board cancelling the registration of a trademark. One nonprecedential opinion addresses an appeal from a Veteran’s Court decision, which is ultimately dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction. Another nonprecedential opinion affirms a decision from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board finding a claim unpatentable as obvious. Finally, another nonprecedential opinion affirms a dismissal by the Court of Federal Claims. Late yesterday, the Federal Circuit also released three nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the summary affirmance and dismissals.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions. One affirms a judgment of the Court of Veterans Claims that it lacked jurisdiction and dismisses a petition for lack of jurisdiction. The other affirms a judgment in an appeal in an inter partes review in which the Patent Trial and Appeal Board determined that all claims were unpatentable. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion addressing an appeal from a judgment of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board holding claims unpatentable as obvious. Late yesterday, the Federal Circuit also released an order granting an unopposed motion to remand a case to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Here are the introductions to the opinion and order.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released six nonprecedential dismissals and one nonprecedential erratum. Late Friday, the Federal Circuit also released another nonprecedential dismissal. Here are links to the dismissals and the erratum.

Here is a report on recent news and commentary related to the Federal Circuit and its cases. Today’s report highlights:

• an article discussing oral arguments at the Federal Circuit in three appeals between Masimo Corp. and Apple Inc. involving “a series of Patent Trial and Appeal Board rulings that inventions described in Masimo’s patents were obvious and therefore unpatentable”;
• an article about how LKQ Corp. v. GM Global Tech. Operations holds the potential to make changes to the longstanding test for design patent obviousness; and
• an article analyzing the potential impact of a former soldier’s argument that the “U.S. Supreme Court [should] reverse a Federal Circuit decision that he claimed wrongly reduced his access to increased benefits Congress granted to wartime veterans.”

This morning the Federal Circuit issued two nonprecedential opinions. The first comes in a patent case also involving trade secrets. This case was appealed from the Central District of California. The second comes in an employment case appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board. Here are the introductions to the opinions.