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FDA research safe harbor does not extend to devices not subject to FDA approval

In a decision Tuesday, the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court's holding of patent infringement on the basis that the "safe harbor" provision of the Hatch-Waxman Act, § 271(e)(1), did not insulate the accused activity from infringement and that the district court did not err in granting a judgment as a matter of law in […]

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Finding of inequitable conduct without considering materiality vacated

In a decision on Friday, the Federal Circuit reversed a district court's summary judgment of invalidity and noninfringement and subsequent finding of inequitable conduct. The court also vacated the district court's exceptional case finding and the associated award of attorney's fees.The plaintiff was initially awarded partial summary judgment of infringement of six patents. The district […]

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When exclusion order based on multiple patents, failure to appeal under each may render appeal moot

In a decision last week, the Federal Circuit affirmed the United States International Trade Commission's finding of infringement and validity. The claims were brought under three patents that all claimed priority to a common parent application, and thus would ordinarily all expire on the same day. However, one of the three patents was subject to […]

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Arguments made distinguishing prior art spell doom for broader claim construction

In a decision last week, the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court's claim construction and related grant of summary judgment of non-infringement.The court affirmed the construction in part because the plaintiff's interpretation of the claim elements was at odds with the plaintiff's stance during the prosecution history. Specifically, the patentee added the element in question […]

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Federal Circuit addresses scope of immunity waiver for copyright and DMCA claims

In a decision Friday, the Federal Circuit affirmed a decision from the United States Court of Federal Claims dismissing a copyright holder's claims for lack of jurisdiction on the ground that the Government had not waived sovereign immunity. The suit arose from alleged copyright infringement and an alleged violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act […]

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Federal Circuit provides more post-KSR guidance for obviousness for chemical compounds

In a decision Monday, the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court's decision finding asserted claims of a patent valid and enforceable. Specifically, the court affirmed a finding that the asserted claims were nonobvious as a matter of law, and that the evidence did not support a finding of inequitable conduct. The Federal Circuit, applying KSR […]

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Adaptation of prior art bidding system to the web obvious under KSR and Leapfrog

In a decision Monday, the Federal Circuit reversed a district court's permanent injunction and denial of judgment as a matter of law in a patent infringement case. A jury determined the asserted claims of the patent were not obvious and that the defendant willfully infringed, and awarded $38.5 million in damages, which the district court […]

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Consent judgment with no explanation of how claim construction affected noninfringement vacated

In a decision Tuesday, the Federal Circuit vacated a consent judgment entered by a district court and remanded the case for clarification. The district court entered a consent judgment, stipulated by the parties, stating the defendants' products did not infringe under the district court's claim construction of several terms, but that the plaintiff could still […]

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Purported inventor who waited eight years to file suit could not overcome presumption of laches

In a decision yesterday, the Federal Circuit upheld a district court's grant of summary judgment due to laches and applicable state statute of limitations in an inventorship case. The plaintiff, having waited more than eight years after finding out about the patents to file suit, claimed that an intervening reexamination should have reset the time […]

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Reverse doctrine of equivalents still a losing argument at the Federal Circuit

In a decision Wednesday, the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court's finding of patent validity and patent infringement. The Federal Circuit found no error in the district court's holding that the reverse doctrine of equivalents was inapplicable and that claim preclusion prohibited the defendant from raising other validity challenges. Specifically, the defendant did not establish […]

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