Tag: unpatentability
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US Patent No. 7,679,637 v. Google: Federal Circuit Rejects Functional Claims Under Section 101
On January 22, 2026, the Federal Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a patent infringement complaint against Google at the pleading stage, holding that the asserted claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,679,637 are patent-ineligible under 35 U.S.C. § 101. The decision reinforces a familiar theme in modern eligibility jurisprudence: claims drafted at a high level of…
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Inland Diamond Prods v. Cherry Optical: PTAB Fact Findings Do Not Preclude District Court Validity Challenges
On October 15, 2025, the Federal Circuit vacated and remanded a summary judgment of invalidity in Inland Diamond Products Co. v. Cherry Optical Inc., No. 24-1106, holding that the district court improperly applied issue preclusion based on prior PTAB inter partes review decisions. The ruling reinforces a principle the court has been developing with increasing…