Tag: patent law
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Ericsson v. Lenovo: The Federal Circuit Revisits SEP Licensing and Injunctions
In a major decision involving standard-essential patents (SEPs) and international licensing disputes, the Federal Circuit vacated a district court’s denial of an antisuit injunction requested by Lenovo against Ericsson. The case revolves around fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing commitments, the enforcement of foreign patent injunctions, and how U.S. courts handle international patent disputes. Background:…
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Federal Circuit Ruling in NexStep v. Comcast: Key Patent Law Takeaways
On October 24, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a significant decision in NexStep, Inc. v. Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, affirming the district court’s ruling of non-infringement on two patents owned by NexStep. The case raised important questions about claim construction, the doctrine of equivalents, and evidentiary requirements for…
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UTTO v. Metrotech: Claim Construction Can Begin at the Pleading Stage
The Federal Circuit issued its decision in UTTO Inc. v. Metrotech Corp., a case centered on patent infringement and state-law tort claims. This decision provides significant insights into claim construction, infringement analysis, and the role of economic torts in intellectual property disputes. Below, we explore the key patent law issues addressed by the court. Background…
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Court of Appeals Reverses Dismissal in AlexSam v. Aetna: Key Patent Law Issues Explained
The Federal Circuit’s recent decision in AlexSam, Inc. v. Aetna, Inc. (Case No. 22-2036) highlights critical issues in patent licensing, direct and indirect infringement, and pleading standards in patent litigation. The court vacated and remanded parts of the district court’s dismissal, finding that key errors had been made in assessing AlexSam’s claims against Aetna. Below,…
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Federal Circuit Revives False Advertising Claim Against Crocs: Key Patent Law Issues
The Federal Circuit recently issued a significant ruling in Crocs, Inc. v. Effervescent, Inc., reversing the District Court for the District of Colorado’s summary judgment in favor of Crocs, Inc. The ruling addresses key issues at the intersection of patent law and false advertising under the Lanham Act, providing a critical clarification on how misrepresentations…
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Federal Circuit Rules on Key Patent Infringement and Damages Issues in Provisur v. Weber
The Federal Circuit recently issued a significant ruling in Provisur Technologies, Inc. v. Weber, Inc., addressing key issues in patent infringement, willfulness, and damages. The case involved Provisur’s patents covering food-processing machinery and Weber’s alleged infringement of those patents. The court’s decision clarifies several critical aspects of patent law, particularly in the areas of infringement…
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Federal Circuit Vacates District Court’s Surprise Patent Ineligibility Ruling in Astellas v. Sandoz
In a major rebuke to a district court’s handling of patent eligibility, the Federal Circuit has vacated a decision that invalidated Astellas’s pharmaceutical patent under 35 U.S.C. § 101—a ruling the lower court made on its own initiative, without either party raising the issue. The court’s strong reaffirmation of the “party presentation principle” signals a…
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Federal Circuit Overturns District Court’s Ruling on Indefiniteness in Teleflex v. Medtronic
In a significant decision for medical device patent litigation, the Federal Circuit vacated and remanded a district court’s ruling that had invalidated key claims in a patent dispute between Teleflex and Medtronic. The case centered on guide extension catheter technology used in cardiovascular procedures, with the core issue being whether the term “substantially rigid portion/segment”…
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Contour v. GoPro: POV Camera Claims Survive Section 101
In a significant development in the evolving landscape of patent eligibility, the Federal Circuit reversed a district court’s grant of summary judgment under 35 U.S.C. § 101, holding that claims directed to a point-of-view (POV) action camera with real-time streaming and control functionality recite patent-eligible subject matter. The September 9, 2024 decision in Contour IP…
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ParkerVision v. Qualcomm: Collateral Estoppel and Expert Exclusion in Patent Litigation
After more than a decade of litigation between ParkerVision and Qualcomm, the Federal Circuit has vacated summary judgment of non-infringement and reversed key Daubert rulings that had hobbled ParkerVision’s case. The court’s decision in ParkerVision, Inc. v. Qualcomm Inc., Nos. 2022-1755, 2024-2221 (Fed. Cir. Sept. 6, 2024), sheds new light on the proper application of…