Posts Tagged: "post grant proceedings"

VoIP-Pal.com prevails in 7 separate IPRs, PTAB finds no evidence of invalidity

In two final decisions and five decisions on IPR institution, the PTAB panel of administrative patent judges (APJs) found that petitioners Apple and AT&T did not meet the required burden of proof to invalidate two VoIP-Pal patents. In the final written decisions, Apple and AT&T failed to prove invalidity of the challenged claims by a preponderance of the evidence. Similarly, the PTAB found that neither party had shown a reasonable likelihood of invalidity at the institution stage in the other cases. Along with last November’s denial of an IPR petition filed by Unified Patents, the VoIP-Pal patents have been unscathed through a total of eight IPR petitions.

Three rounds of IPR petitions invalidates VirnetX patent after Apple gets around statute of limitations

Luckily for Apple and Microsoft, however, VirnetX did not assert the ‘135 patent against Mangrove Partners, a hedge fund, which filed a petition for IPR against the ‘135 patent on April 14th, 2015; Mangrove reportedly shorted VirnetX stock around this time. On October 7th, 2015, the PTAB panel adjudicating the case decided to institute the IPR as the petitioner Mangrove had demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of proving invalidity of the challenged claims. Then in January 2016, Apple was successful in having its petition for IPR review of the challenged ‘135 claims joined to Mangrove’s IPR. VirnetX had objected to Apple’s motion for joinder based on the Section 315(b) language but the PTAB found that Section 315(b) did not apply to joinder motions which are governed by 35 U.S.C. § 315(c).

Predicting SAS Institute in Advance of SCOTUS Oral Arguments

The United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in SAS Institute v. Matal on Monday, November 27, 2017. This case will give the Supreme Court the opportunity to declare whether the Patent Trial and Appeal Board must issue a written decision covering all claims challenged in an inter partes review proceeding. In advance of this much anticipated hearing, I reached out to a number of industry insiders with a simple question: What are you thoughts and predictions on SAS Institute in advance of Supreme Court oral arguments? Their answers follow.

Predicting Oil States in Advance of SCOTUS Oral Arguments

The United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Oil States v. Greene’s Energy Group on Monday, November 27, 2017. This case will give the Supreme Court its first opportunity to address the constitutionality of the inter partes review procedures created by the America Invents Act (AIA). In advance of this much anticipated hearing, I reached out to a number of industry insiders with a simple question: What are you thoughts and predictions on Oil States in advance of Supreme Court oral arguments? Their answers follow… As for my thoughts — I’m going to go out on a limb this time with my prediction that the Supreme Court will find IPRs unconstitutional.

Why SAS Institute Matters More Than Oil States

Oil States Energy Services LLC v. Greene’s Energy Group, LLC, now scheduled for oral argument before the Supreme Court on November 27, is clearly receiving all the attention this fall. The possibility of finding Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) post grant proceedings unconstitutional cannot be understated. But oral arguments will also be heard on that same day in the less-noticed SAS Institute v. Matal… Should any form of IPRs survive Oil States, the following SAS Institute decision should be watched with equal anticipation. A reversal in SAS Institute will no doubt have you rethinking your PTAB strategy.

AIA and PTAB Unconstitutional Under the Public Rights Doctrine

Only Article III courts can provide a fair, neutral and unbiased forum for assessment of patent validity. For over two hundred years, patent validity, patent infringement and patent damages have been consolidated to be heard in federal district courts. Federal courts supply impartial judges that are immune from influence by the executive or legislative branches. Furthermore, federal courts supply jury trials that enable a fair application of due process rights in the hearing of a patent dispute. Patent validity review is only a single component of patent infringement cases and it is efficient to have this component of the matter reviewed in a single matter.

Amendments in IPRs? Welcome back to the future

The industry reaction to Aqua Products v. Matal has been swift. In IPWatchdog’s Industry Roundup blog post, there was broad acclaim. However, for those involved with post-grant proceedings before the AIA, however, Aqua Products at most means a return to the amending regime allowed under the previous inter partes post-grant procedure, inter partes reexaminations. Given that IPRs were explicitly designed to extend and amend the previous inter partes reexamination procedures, a comparison of amendment practice under the two procedures makes a number of lessons clear.

IPRs unduly harm patent holders and benefit big tech infringers

The PTO systematically administers a collection of procedures in IPRs to unduly harm patent holders and benefit big tech company infringers. The data show that the plain result of PTAB procedures appears to benefit infringers with a clear bias against patent holders. PTAB cancels challenged claims in 76% of instituted patent reviews, a rate that is 2 ½ times greater than in the federal district courts. The reason is that PTAB employs a set of procedures that stacks the deck against patent holders. There is clear bias at every step of the process of reviewing patent validity. However, there are several components of PTAB procedures that are particularly onerous and problematic and that go to the heart of the due process issues that infect IPRs.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board Procedures for IPR Fail to Satisfy the Fifth Amendment

Due process is an essential condition for a fair proceeding involving a matter in which property rights are in dispute. Unfortunately, there is no interpretation of PTAB procedures under which due process applies. PTAB omits due process and is fundamentally unfair. As a consequence, the PTAB conclusions, and the structure and process of PTAB determinations, are unconstitutional.

McCormick and the Separation of Powers Constraints of Patent Invalidation

The argument that patents are private rights is supported by over two centuries of jurisprudence. Patent rights derive from Article I, section 8, clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution, which empowers Congress to promote progress by creating laws involving patents and copyrights. The patent bargain exchanges disclosure of new and useful inventions for a limited term exclusive right. The public benefits from the patent bargain in two ways. First, the disclosure enables others to build on the invention. Second, after a twenty year period, the public receives the benefits of the invention for free as the rights flow to the public domain. The patent bargain stimulates incentives to invent, to invest in innovation and to take ex ante risks.

Native Americans Set to Save the Patent System

Native American tribal sovereign immunity thwarts both of these dilatory infringer tactics and repositions the negotiation to where it needs to be – outside of the courthouse. The tribe can inform detailed information to the infringer of their infringement and offer to enter into licensing negotiations without fear of being subjected to a DJ Action. Thus, the tribe can inform the infringer of their infringement and unless the tribe sues the infringer, the infringer will not be able to play the litigious gamesmanship or file the unending and procedurally unfair PTAB procedures. In sum, sovereign immunity equalizes the bargaining power between the inventor and the infringer and sets the negotiation table fairly.

FREE Webinar: Hot Topics in Patent Litigation

A multitude of changes to patent law and practice have altered the face of patent litigation in America. From patent venue decisions in district courts that seem to be inconsistent with TC Heartland, to Indian Tribes acquiring patents and asserting sovereign immunity, the patent enforcement and defense landscape has changed dramatically over the past few months. Amidst these changing times, please join Gene Quinn for a free webinar webinar discussion – Hot Topics in Patent Litigation – on Thursday, October 12, 2017, at 12pm ET. Gene will be joined by former ITC Commissioner F. Scott Kieff and Keith Grady, Chair of IP and Technology Litigation at Polsinelli.

PTAB due process violations raised in brief to Federal Circuit

On September 22nd, a reply brief for appellant Cascades Projection LLC was filed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in a case over the validity of patents covering projector technologies which were invented by Gene Dolgoff, the creator of the Star Trek Holodeck. The appeal against Japanese tech conglomerates Epson and Sony asks the Federal Circuit to decide whether the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) erred in invalidating patent claims held by Cascades Projection and whether the PTAB acted in a manner which violated Cascade Projection’s right to due process under the U.S. Constitution.

Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Outraged at Senator McCaskill over Sovereign Immunity Bill

McCaskill’s seemingly calculated ploy to get out in front of other Senators, all alone in her demand for a legislative solution that strips Native American Indian Tribes of sovereign immunity, may backfire. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, which acquired the Allergan RESTASIS® patents and then granted back to Allergan an exclusive license, issued a scathing statement.

Senator McCaskill introduces bill to abrogate Native American Sovereign Immunity

Senator McCaskill (D-MO) has introduced a bill to abrogate the sovereign immunity of Indian tribes as a defense in inter partes review (IPR) proceedings at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Indeed, the sole purpose of McCaskill’s short, ill-conceived and hastily assembled bill is to make it impossible for Native American Indian Tribes that own patents to assert sovereign immunity when those patents are challenged in proceedings at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board… What this means is McCaskill’s bill cannot and will not remove claims of sovereign immunity from PTAB proceedings. McCaskill’s bill would only discriminate against Native American Indian Tribes.