Person writing on a clipboard form with a pen. Could be giving feedback or completing a surveyUpdate: Overruled in part by Aqua Products, Inc. v. Matal.  In a subsequent order, the court vacated the portions of the panel’s and the PTAB’s decisions concerning the patent owner’s motion to amend, and remanded the case to the PTAB for proceedings consistent with the Aqua Products decision.

In December 4, 2015, the Federal Circuit affirmed in a split opinion the Board’s final written decision in ScentAir Techs., Inc. v. Prolitec, Inc., IPR2013-00179, finding that the two claims of Prolitec’s U.S. Patent No. 7,712,683 (“’683 patent”) were unpatentable and denying Prolitec’s motion to amend.  Although several issues were addressed by the Board and Federal Circuit, perhaps of most interest is the court’s conclusion that the Board properly denied Prolitec’s motion to amend because Prolitic did not demonstrate patentability of the substitute claim over prior art of record during prosecution of the patent. 
Continue Reading Federal Circuit: Patent Owners Must Consider Prior Art from Prosecution History in Motion to Amend

Update: Overruled in part byAqua Products, Inc. v. Matal.Pen shot on white background with high contrast cross process look

Earlier this week, we wrote about the post-hearing briefing the Federal Circuit invited in Microsoft Corp. v. Proxyconn, Inc., Case Nos. 2014-1542, -1543, Dkt. 49 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 13, 2015), and the questions it posed regarding the PTAB’s administration of inter partes review. The court issued its decision in that case yesterday, answering some of the questions it posed and, for the first time, reversed a PTAB claim construction, vacated the PTAB’s decision of unpatentability, and remanded the IPR for further proceedings.
Continue Reading Federal Circuit Upholds PTAB’s Application of its Rules to Decide Motions to Amend