Inter Partes Review

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Critics Ignore Long Standing Realities

Critics of the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) are out in force decrying the work of the PTAB as anti-patent. This criticism flows from the unfavorable outcomes of the 30 or so concluded Inter Partes Review (IPR) and Covered Business Method (CBM) proceedings to date. That is, some consider the heavy number of claim cancellation decisions as evidence of a bias against patentees. Nothing could be further from the truth.

First, patents now being asserted were drafted to survive district court scrutiny. As is well known, when in court, patentees benefit from a clear and convincing evidentiary standard, a presumption of patent validity, and a non-technical audience. Due to the significant obstacles of demonstrating invalidity before a court, infringement concerns have been the primary driver of patent procurement practices to date. For this reason patents are routinely procured to obtain the broadest possible claim scope for the purpose of ensnaring infringers; often times overly broad.

On the other hand, the PTAB counteracts each …
Continue Reading Speed of PTAB Fuels Criticism of Initial Trial Results

PTAB roundtableRoundtable Discussions to Spur Dialogue on Possible Rule Changes

Roughly eighteen months have passed since the USPTO’s implementation of the new post grant patent challenges of the America Invents Act (AIA). Since the rules for implementing these post grant patent proceedings were developed under an aggressive time schedule, as promised, the USPTO is now revisiting those rules. In the months ahead, the USPTO will be considering whether revisions/refinements to the Patent Trial & Appeal Board’s (PTAB) rules are in order. To kickoff the effort, the PTAB will be conducting informational/roundtable discussions around the country. Once the roadshows are concluded, the USPTO is planning a Federal Register Notice this summer to collect additional stakeholder comments.

The roadshow agenda includes a discussion of AIA trial statistics, lessons learned, and techniques for successful motions practice.  The roundtables are free and open to all with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. Stops include, Alexandria (webcast available), New York, Chicago, Detroit, Santa Clara, Seattle, Dallas, and Denver.

Schedule and agenda are posted below.
Continue Reading PTAB Roadshow Effort Kicks Off in Alexandria on 4/15

Stringent PTAB Amendment Process to Drive Patent Reissue Filings

As discussed previously, patent owners continue to struggle with the motion-based amendment requirements of the USPTO’s Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB). In recent months, patentees subject to Inter Partes Review (IPR) and Covered Business Method (CBM) challenges have begun exploring alternative USPTO avenues for presenting amendments. In particular, patentees are following the advice of the PTAB and initiating patent reissue and reexamination proceedings.

Patentees generally find patent reexamination more attractive than patent reissue. This is due to the special dispatch accorded a patent reexamination, the relatively narrow scope of prior art review, and insulation from 112 and 101 issues. However, as made clear recently, patent reissue may be the only escape for patentees struggling at the PTAB.…

Continue Reading Patent Reissue as an Alternative to PTAB Amendment Practice

Bio/Pharma Patentee Challenges Ahead

As discussed last week, the USPTO’s Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) offers significant benefits to generic drug companies seeking to enter the market of a branded competitor. That is, the PTAB offers a short circuit to expensive district court litigation for challenging high value drug patents.

In addition to the proceedings discussed last week, three recent PTAB decisions involving DNA sequencing patents owned by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, the PTAB cancelled all challenged claims in the three patents, IPR2012-0006 and 00007 and IPR2013-00011. While not technically drug patents, their fate is indicative of what the drug industry faces in PTAB challenges. …
Continue Reading Is Branded Bio/Pharma Adequately Preparing for the PTAB?

IPR…Not Just For Trolls

With Congress on the verge of passing still more legislation directed at alleviating the dreaded “patent troll” problem, perhaps Congress should pause to consider what has already been accomplished over the last 18+ months. As pointed at by Gene Quinn at IPwatchdog last week, Congress is in a rush to pass further patent reform legislation in the name of “helping Main Street America.” Yet, since September 16, 2012 the America Invents Act (AIA) has been wildly successful in providing a cheaper, faster, low cost alternative to patent litigation. Inter Partes Review (IPR) in particular has become the favorite anti-troll measure.

Typically, an IPR is pursued against the subject patent so that a stay of the costlier litigation can be obtained. Depending upon the jurisdiction/judge involved, the ability to stay a litigation pending USPTO review has increased significantly since the passage of the AIA. While this change in landscape is welcome news for those battling trolls, IPR is equally concerning for those patentees considered to be true technology innovators.
Continue Reading Medical Technology Patents at the PTAB

PTAB Breaks 1000 Threshold for CBM and IPR Filings

Last week, the USPTO issued the official tallies/progress statistics for Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post Grant Review (PGR) and the Covered Business Method (CBM) proceedings. As of March 6, 2014 the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) has received 924 IPR petitions and 127 CBM petitions, …

NDCA vs. EDTX

Prior to the passage of the America Invents Act (AIA) many district courts were less than impressed with the lenghty pendencies of patent reexamination proceedings at the USPTO. For this reason, motions to stay a litigation pending patent reexamination were often denied based upon the perceived prejudice of a 5-6 year delay (typical of reexaminations through appeal). The patent challenge proceedings of the AIA (IPR, CBM and PGR) were specifically designed, at least in part, to remedy the pendency issue.

The new patent challenge proceedings of the AIA are conducted before the USPTO’s Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) and must conclude, by statute, within 12 months of trial order. (There is a provision allowing for 18 month schedules in exceptional cases but the PTAB has yet to avail themselves of that exception). Many districts across the country have recognized the improved speed of the PTAB. Not surprisingly, the success rate for staying cases pending USPTO review has significantly improved.

That said, there are still significant differences of opinion on the PTAB —across districts, and even across judges of a same district. …
Continue Reading PTAB Perceptions Vary Across District Courts