FedCircuitBlog

This morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a patent case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. In its opinion, the Federal Circuit affirmed the Board’s denial of motions to terminate and its unpatentability determinations. The Federal Circuit also released four nonprecedential orders. One transfers an appeal to the Court of Appeals for the District for the District of Columbia Circuit; one summarily affirms; and two dismiss appeals. Here is the introduction to the opinion, text from the orders, and links to the dismissals.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a patent case appealed from the Eastern District of Virginia. In its opinion, the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The Federal Circuit also released three nonprecedential orders. Two dismiss appeals and one denies a writ of mandamus to remand a case to the Court of Federal Claims. Here is the introduction to the opinion, text from the order, and links to the dismissals.

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit in patent cases. The court received a new petition raising questions related to the critical date of prior art. The court also received a response to a petition raising questions related to the written description requirement. Finally, the court denied a petition in a case raising questions related to obviousness-based inherency of claim limitations. Here are the details.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a patent case appealed from the District of Delaware. The Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s judgment that an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) does not infringe certain patent claims and also affirmed the district court’s denial of a declaratory judgment of infringement. Late yesterday the Federal Circuit also released two nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. Here is the introduction to the opinion and links to dismissals.

Last week, the Federal Circuit issued its opinion in Thaler v. Vidal, a patent case we have been watching because it attracted amicus briefs. On appeal, Thaler sought review of a district court’s grant of summary judgment to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which decided that an artificial intelligence machine cannot be an inventor under the Patent Act. In a unanimous opinion authored by Judge Stark and joined by Chief Judge Moore and Judge Taranto, the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court. This is our opinion summary.

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

• an article discussing how “[a] recent ruling opened the door for an administrative patent tribunal to wipe out certain Federal Circuit decisions, which may entice the full federal appeals court to grant a rare re-hearing request”;
• another article addressing “steps to secure and safeguard US patents for AI-assisted inventions” following the Federal Circuit’s decision in Thaler v. Vidal; and
• a third article asserting that “[i]nventors who revise a patent to overcome an examiner’s finding that the claims are not patent-eligible cannot later walk back those changes through the reissue process.”

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

• an article addressing how the Federal Circuit recently ruled that “[a]rtificially intelligent machines cannot be named inventors on patents”;
• a blog post similarly discussing that, “for the purposes of patent law, an inventor must be human”; and
• another article arguing that a Federal Circuit holding addressing patent law’s written description requirement, if allowed to stand, “threatens to remove the patent system’s incentives to innovation.” 

This morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a patent case appealed from the Eastern District of Virginia, concluding that the Patent Act requires an inventor to be a natural person. The Federal Circuit also released two nonprecedential orders. One dismisses an appeal for failure to prosecute; one grants the transfer of an appeal from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Finally, the Federal Circuit released two Rule 36 judgments and an erratum. Here is the introduction to the opinion, text from the orders, and links to the Rule 36 judgments and erratum.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion in a patent case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The Federal Circuit also released two nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. Here is the introduction to the opinion and links to the dismissals.

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

• an article discussing the top patent cases to watch in the second half of 2022;
• another article highlighting how a petition for a writ of certiorari claimed that a Federal Circuit decision “would upend the legal rules governing the modern prescription-drug marketplace”; and
• a third article urging that the question of whether artificial intelligence can be an inventor under patent law “is one for Congress, not the courts, to address.”