Patent Filings Roundup: Light Week in District Court Buoyed by IV-Selloff Assertions; Vidal Grants Second Sua Sponte Review of Second Institution in OpenSky/VLSI Case

patent filingsThis week saw 26 Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) filings (all inter partes reviews [IPRs]) and just 28 new district court complaints—and notably and unusually, no new IP Edge filings. Most of the filings were related to three entities, the now-sprawling Bell Semiconductor campaign added a slew of new defendants, and Cedar Lane and Buffalo Patents, both campaigns comprised entirely of old Intellectual Ventures (IV) patents (both almost certainly transferred under IV’s late-stage low-cost time-limited backend deal structure). There was one (non-Fintiv) denial at the Board and a few IV patents were challenged directly by Honda; some pharmaceutical challenges were filed, but otherwise, it was a relatively quiet week in new filings, particularly in the district court (it’s the first week in as long as I can remember when there didn’t appear to be a single IP Edge filing, which certainly contributes to the lull).

Director Vidal Grants Second Sua Sponte Review of Ordered Re-Institution Decision – The top-level story is probably the VLSI/Intel PTAB drama continuing to metastasize as it relates to OpenSky and Director Vidal’s review procedure. First, Director Vidal ruled on sanctions and behavior related to OpenSky in one of the two IPR/patent disputes relevant to the earlier $2.1 billion judgment, and in that precedential order, remanded to the panel under the “compelling merits” standard, a relatively new standard at institution under discretion put in place by the current administration that allows the judges to disregard reasons for discretionary denial if they find the merits compelling. The Board panel then responded, finding that there were compelling merits, and confirming their institution (it’s worth noting that this retroactive application of the Vidal-era standard is, as far as I am aware, unique to this case). Then, just three days later, the Director again granted sua sponte Director review of that decision to institute under the compelling merits standard. By the time this runs there will probably be further developments in this or the second patent, but suffice it to say, it’s complicated.

Board Denies IPR Under 325(d) Discretion – Perhaps notable only because discretionary denials have grown somewhat rare, the Board in Miltenyi Biomedicine Gmbh v. Trustees of University of Pennsylvania & Novartis, IPR2022-00853, declined institution. Other IPRs were instituted against other related patents; I’m focusing on this one because of the discretionary denial. The case relates to cancer treatments with T-cells modified to express a chimeric antigen receptor, and then, generally, injected into a patient. In this way, the body’s immune system can be redirected to target specific cancer cells, in theory. The Board, after a detailed analysis of the claim construction and merits arguments, analyzed these arguments under Advanced Bionics, and ultimately found that the prosecution was robust. They were not persuaded that, while some of the prior art and arguments were raised during prosecution in the information disclosure statement, that was enough to merit denial; the Board noted during the step two analysis that the primary reference was part of repeated rejections of related patents, and surmised the examiner was clearly aware of the reference’s relevance, digging in to the related prosecution and ultimately concluding that there was no material error in prosecution.

PTAB (26)

Case Number Action Owner Petitioner Patent
IPR2023-00025 Filed Myport, Inc. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 10721066
IPR2022-01577 Filed FUJIFILM Sonosite, Inc [Fujifilm Holdings Corporation] Butterfly Network, Inc 6901157
IPR2023-00044 Filed Imberatek LLC [Ideahub, Inc.] Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC
8222723
IPR2022-01605 Filed Raven Sun Creative Inc. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc 9266028
IPR2023-00029 Filed Pedersen, Peter Henrik Unified Patent, LLC 6965920
IPR2023-00041 Filed Weiman, Mark Life Spine, Inc. 8845732
IPR2022-01593 Filed United Services Automobile Association Truist Bank 9818090
IPR2023-00032 Filed Intellectual Ventures II LLC [Intellectual Ventures LLC] American Honda Motor Co., Inc. 8953641
IPR2023-00031 Filed Intellectual Ventures II LLC [Intellectual Ventures LLC] American Honda Motor Co., Inc. 9291475
IPR2022-01601 Filed Globus Medical, Inc. Life Spine, Inc. 10925752
IPR2023-00023 Filed Myport, Inc. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 9832017
IPR2022-01599 Filed Weiman, Mark null Life Spine, Inc. 8845732
IPR2022-01602 Filed Globus Medical, Inc. Life Spine, Inc. 9956087
IPR2023-00016 Filed Bausch Health Ireland Limited [Bausch Health Cos., Inc.] MSN Laboratories Private Ltd. 7041786
IPR2023-00051 Filed Saphire Hospitality, Inc. Eastpoint Sports Ltd., LLC 9504892
IPR2023-00024 Filed Myport, Inc. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 10237067
IPR2023-00050 Filed De Luca, Giampiero [Giampiero D.E. Luca] TWi Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8377903
IPR2023-00049 Filed De Luca, Giampiero [Giampiero D.E. Luca] TWi Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 7713947
IPR2022-01449 Filed SB IP Holdings LLC [Skybell Technologies, Inc.] Vivint Inc 7193644
IPR2023-00027 Filed Gan Limited Entain Corporate Services, Ltd.
MGM Resorts International
Bet MGM, LLC
8821296
IPR2022-01600 Filed Weiman Life Spine, Inc. 10973649
IPR2022-01603 Filed Weiman Life Spine, Inc. 9402739
IPR2023-00030 Filed Fortinet, Inc. Netskope, Inc. 10826941
IPR2023-00052 Filed Sampath, Deepak Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Inc. 11110087
IPR2023-00039 Filed Shribman, Derry Code200, UAB 10484510
IPR2023-00038 Filed Shribman, Derry Code200, UAB 10257319
IPR2022-00746 Not Instituted – Merits Guardant Health, Inc. Twinstrand Biosciences, Inc. 10801063
IPR2022-00587 Not Instituted – Merits Fedex Corporate Services, Inc. [FedEx Corporation] Qualcomm Inc. 9974042
IPR2022-00747 Not Instituted – Merits Guardant Health, Inc. Twinstrand Biosciences, Inc. 10889858
IPR2022-00561 Not Instituted – Merits Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB Apple Inc 10306669
IPR2022-00816 Not Instituted – Merits University of Washington Through Its Center For Commercialization Guardant Health, Inc. 10760127
IPR2022-00607 Not Instituted – Merits Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB Apple Inc 10517133
IPR2022-00758 Not Instituted – Merits Throughputer Inc [Throughputer Inc.] Microsoft Corporation 10430242
IPR2022-00853 Not Instituted – Procedural The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania [University of Pennsylvania] Miltenyi Biomedicine Gmbh
Miltenyi Biotec, Inc.
9464140
IPR2022-00462 Instituted Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson [Mobitex Technology AB] Apple Inc 9832726
IPR2022-00626 Instituted Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson [Mobitex Technology AB] Apple Inc 9319211
IPR2022-00709 Instituted Intellectual Ventures II LLC [Intellectual Ventures LLC] Toyota Motor Corporation 9602608
IPR2022-00584 Instituted Fedex Corporate Services, Inc. [FedEx Corporation] Qualcomm Inc. 7623033
IPR2022-00466 Instituted Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson [Mobitex Technology AB] Apple Inc 10491348
IPR2022-00708 Instituted Intellectual Ventures II LLC [Intellectual Ventures LLC] Toyota Motor Corporation 9291475
IPR2022-00774 Instituted DNA Genotek Inc. [Orasure Technologies Incorporated] Spectrum Solutions LLC 10000795
IPR2022-00741 Instituted Rex Computing, Inc. Cerebras Systems Inc., 10355975
IPR2022-00855 Instituted The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania [Columbia University] Miltenyi Biomedicine Gmbh
Miltenyi Biotec, Inc.
9540445
IPR2022-00852 Instituted The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania [Columbia University]v Miltenyi Biomedicine Gmbh
Miltenyi Biotec, Inc.
9518123
IPR2022-00817 Instituted University of Washington Through Its Center For Commercialization Guardant Health, Inc. 10760127
IPR2021-00672 Final Written Decision Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc. [Nabors Industries Limited] Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Company
Helmerich & Payne Technologies, LLC
Motive Drilling Technologies, Inc.
7860593
IPR2021-00762 Final Written Decision Dali Wireless Inc. [Dali Systems Co., Ltd.] Corning Optical Communications, LLC 9826508
IPR2021-00713 Final Written Decision Flexiworld Technologies, Inc. Roku, Inc. 10740066
PGR2019-00056 Final Written Decision Willis Electric Company, Limited Everstar Merchandise Co. Ltd 10222037
IPR2018-01661 Final Written Decision VLSI Technology LLC [SoftBank Group Corp.] Intel Corporation 8020014
IPR2021-00813 Final Written Decision Cupp Computing AS Trend Micro, Inc. 10621344
IPR2021-01127 Final Written Decision WiTricity Corporation Momentum Dynamics Corporation 9306635
IPR2021-00698 Final Written Decision WSOU Investments, LLC [WSOU Holdings, LLC] ZTE Corporation
ZTE USA Inc
ZTE (TX), Inc
7203505
IPR2018-01312 Final Written Decision VLSI Technology LLC [SoftBank Group Corp.] Intel Corporation 8020014
IPR2021-00699 Final Written Decision WSOU Investments, LLC [WSOU Holdings, LLC] ZTE Corporation
ZTE (TX), Inc
ZTE USA Inc
7742534
IPR2021-00696 Final Written Decision WSOU Investments, LLC [WSOU Holdings, LLC] ZTE Corporation
ZTE USA Inc
ZTE (TX), Inc
8179960

District Court (28)

Case Number Action Plaintiff Defendant Patent
6:22-cv-01072 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc. [IV selloff] Wonwoo Engineering Co Ltd 6972790B2
8537242B2
6473527B1
1:22-cv-01332 Filed Buffalo Patents LLC [IV selloff] Discord Inc 6839417B2
2:22-cv-00397 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc [IV selloff] Luminator Technology Group Inc 6972790B2
8537242B2
6473527B1
6:22-cv-01076 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc [IV selloff] Parrot Inc 6473527B1
6972790B2
8537242B2
1:22-cv-01344 Filed Gracenote Inc
The Nielsen Us LLC
Acrcloud Ltd 8065700B2
7623823B2
7783889B2
7904503B2
0:22-cv-61899 Filed Silipint Partners LLC Siesta LLC 8469225B2
3:22-cv-05962 Filed Esignature Software LLC Adobe Inc 8065527B2
1:22-cv-11723 Filed Bell Semiconductor LLC [Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global)] Skyworks Solutions 7396760B2
1:22-cv-11718 Filed Bell Semiconductor LLC [Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global)] Analog Devices Inc 7396760B2
1:22-cv-11719 Filed Bell Semiconductor LLC [Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global)] Macom Technology Solutions Inc 7396760B2
1:22-cv-05574 Filed Nuwave LLC The Individuals Corporations Limited Liability Companies Partnerships And Unincorporated Associations Identified On The Attached Schedule A D0851444S
1:22-cv-11722 Filed Bell Semiconductor LLC [Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global)] Silicon Labs 7396760B2
4:22-cv-11721 Filed Bell Semiconductor LLC [Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global)] Marvell Technology Group 7396760B2
1:22-cv-01334 Filed Buffalo Patents LLC [IV selloff] Ringcentral Inc 6839417B2
1:22-cv-01333 Filed Buffalo Patents LLC [IV selloff] Logmein Inc
Goto Group Inc
Goto Technologies Usa Inc
6839417B2
6:22-cv-01077 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc [IV selloff] Pixart Imaging Inc 6473527B1
6972790B2
8537242B2
6:22-cv-01074 Filed Cedar Lane Technologies Inc [IV selloff] Konica Minolta Inc 6473527B1
6972790B2
8537242B2
6:22-cv-01069 Filed Cloud Systems Holdco Ip LLC [Dynamic IP Deals, LLC (d/b/a DynaIP)] Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Smartthings Inc
7975051B2
1:22-cv-05578 Filed Nuwave LLC Individuals Corporations Limited Liabilites Partnerships And Unincorporated Associations Identified On Schedule A Hereto The 10556208B2
D851444S
D834878S
1:22-cv-01335 Filed Buffalo Patents LLC [IV selloff, poss. Dimension Fund Advisors] Spotify Technology Sa
Spotify Ab
Spotify Usa Inc
6839417B2
1:22-cv-00588 Filed Stryker Sales LLC [Stryker Corporation]
Stryker Corporation And Stryker Sales LLC [Stryker Corporation]
Stryker Corporation
Ferno-washington Inc And Ferno Group Inc 10058464B2
RE44884
D0794205S
D0833623S
7398571B2
7725968B2
8056950B2
D0875950S
6:22-cv-01070 Filed Cloud Systems Holdco Ip LLC [Dynamic IP Deals, LLC] Vivion Inc 7975051B2
2:22-cv-00394 Filed General Access Solutions Ltd Verizon Online LLC
Verizon Services Corp
Verizon Corporate Services Group Inc
Verizon Business Network Services LLC
Verizon Business Global LLC
et al.
7230931B2
9426794B2
1:22-cv-06030 Filed Nexus Pharmaceuticals Inc Par Sterile Products LLC
Par Pharmaceutical Inc
Nevakar Inc
Nevakar Injectables Inc
Endo International PLC
et al.
11464752B2
2:22-cv-07407 Filed Solo Brands LLC The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified In Schedule A D0914858S
D0923163S
1:22-cv-01348 Filed Merck Sharp Dohme LLC Laurus Generics Inc
Laurus Labs Ltd
7326708B2
6:22-cv-01075 Filed Kioba Processing LLC [IP Investments Group LLC] The Charles Schwab Corporation
Charles Schwab Bank
8442915B2
6931382B2
6917902B2
7107078B2
1:22-cv-01345 Filed The Nielsen Company [MOOD Media Corporation] Tvision Insights Inc 11470243B2Â

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3 comments so far.

  • [Avatar for Night Writer]
    Night Writer
    October 21, 2022 05:19 pm

    Thanks for this.

  • [Avatar for Anon]
    Anon
    October 21, 2022 01:19 pm

    Mr. Malone,

    You alight upon one of the flaws of the AIA as written by Congress in view of takings law.

    The act of grant (even under Oil States), creates a basket of personal property rights that includes both the existence and a level of presumption of validity.

    At the institution decision point (well before any NEW adjudication on the merits), that stick in the bundle of property rights is administratively taken with NO compensation.

  • [Avatar for Josh Malone]
    Josh Malone
    October 21, 2022 08:10 am

    The new compelling evidence standard states — “Compelling, meritorious challenges are those in which the evidence, if umebutted in trial, would plainly lead to a conclusion that one or more claims are unpatentable by a preponderance of the evidence.”

    Under 103, that sweeps in every issued patent. It is being interpreted by the PTAB the same as “reasonable likelihood” and “substantial new question”, in which claimed inventions in already granted patents are presumed to be obvious combinations of their individual elements. These standards are subjective and vulnerable to hindsight skepticism (especially where the presiding APJ gets substantial compensation by ruling in favor of institution
    ). There must be much higher threshold for institution — a higher reliance in the patent right — in order for inventors to risk time and capital developing new technologies.