Patent Resources Group Federal Circuit Law Course Syllabus

Transcription

1 I. Novelty and Loss of Right to a Patent II. III. IV. A. Anticipation 1. Court Review of PTO Decisions 2. Claim Construction 3. Anticipation Shown Through Inherency 4. Single Reference Rule Incorporation by Reference 5. Genus-Species 6. Ranges B. Loss of Rights 102(b) (pre-aia) 1. Patented or Described in a Printed Publication 2. On Sale 3. In Public Use C. U.S. Patents as Prior Art - 102(e) (pre-aia) D. Prior Invention - 102(g) (pre-aia) En Banc Federal Circuit and Supreme Court Cases A. Introduction B. Supreme Court Decisions C. En Banc Federal Circuit Decisions 35 U.S.C. 101 Issues A. Introduction B. Supreme Court Decisions C. Federal Circuit Decisions Inventorship, Double Patenting, Jurisdiction and Transfer, PTO Practice & Procedure, Miscellaneous A. Inventorship 1. Background 2. Conception 3. Actual Reduction to Practice 4. Constructive Reduction to Practice Page 1

2 5. Joint Inventorship 6. Correction of Inventorship 7. Derivation Proceedings B. Double Patenting 1. Background 2. Same Invention-Type Double Patenting 3. Obviousness-Type Double Patenting 4. Double Patenting Safe-Harbor C. District Court Jurisdiction, Standing, and Transfer 1. District Court Jurisdiction 2. Standing 3. Transfer 4. Forum Non-Conveniens D. PTO Practice and Procedure 1. Patent Term Adjustments 2. Terminal Disclaimers 3. Reissue Patents 4. New Grounds of Rejection by Board 5. Patent Revival 6. Disclosure of Confidential Information in Pending Patent Applications 7. Certificates of Correction 8. The Printed Matter Doctrine 9. Perfecting A 35 U.S.C. 120 Priority Claim E. Miscellaneous 1. Removal to Federal District Court 2. Patent Agent Privilege V. 35 U.S.C. 112 Issues in the Federal Circuit A. Introduction Page 2

3 B. Section 112, Second Paragraph (now 112(b)) 1. A Claim Limitation Is Indefinite If It Fails to Inform Those Skilled in the Art About the Scope of the Invention 2. A Claim Is Indefinite If It Recites Both an Apparatus and a Method of Using That Apparatus C. Section 112, First Paragraph (now 112(a)) 1. The Written-Description Requirement a. Application of the Written-Description Requirement b. Genus/Species c. Written Description and Later-Developed Technology d. The Interplay of Section 112, First Paragraph (now 112(a)), and Sections 119 and 120 in Priority Disputes 2. The Enablement Requirement a. Cases Applying the Enablement Requirement b. The Scope of Enablement c. Nascent Technologies and Future Development D. Section 112, 6 (now 112(f)) Means-Plus-Function Claims 1. Language Which Invokes 112, 6 (now 112(f)) 2. Step-Plus-Function 3. Disclosure Requirements a. Linking Requirement b. Computer-Implemented Inventions VI. Obviousness/Non-Obviousness 35 U.S.C. 103 A. Presumption of Validity: Burden of Proof 1. In the Courts 2. In the PTO B. Appellate Review 1. PTO Review 2. District Court Review Page 3

4 C. The Obvious/Non-Obviousness Analysis Post KSR 1. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Inventions 2. Range Cases 3. Genus-Species 4. Reason or Motivation for the Combination C. The Graham Findings 1. Scope and Content of the Prior Art 2. Differences Between the Prior Art and the Claimed Invention 3. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art 4. Secondary Considerations VII. Ethics in the Practice of Patent Law A. Malpractice B. PTO Discipline C. Disqualification D. Patent Prosecution Bar E. District Court Sanctions 1. Rule 11 Sanctions U.S.C Sanctions 3. The Inherent Power Of The Court to Impose Sanctions 4. Attorney Fees Under 35 U.S.C Miscellaneous Sanctions Issues F. Frivolous Appeals 1. Frivolous as filed 2. Frivolous as argued 3. Improper Appellate Tactics G. Mediator and Other Neutral Disclosure Obligations H. International Trade Commission Penalties Page 4

5 VIII. IX. Assignment and License Issues A. License as a Defense B. Co-Ownership as a Defense C. Correction of Inventorship and Ownership D. Common License and Assignment Terms E. Employer s Ownership Rights F. Estoppel G. Exhaustion and Implied License Infringement A. Claim Construction 1. General Principles 2. Procedural Issues Relating to Claim Construction 3. Reference to Intrinsic Evidence 4. Reliance on Expert Testimony, Technical Literature and Other Extrinsic Evidence 5. Relative Claim Terms 6. Means-Plus-Function Claims 7. Preambles and Transitional Phrases 8. Product-by-Process Claims 9. Construction of Design Patents B. Literal Infringement 1. General Substantive Principles 2. General Procedural Principles 3. The Reverse Doctrine of Equivalents 4. De Minimis Exceptions 5. Experimental Use (e)(1) Exceptions (e)(2)(A) Infringement (a) Offers for Sale and 271(f) Sales of Component Parts Page 5

6 9. Infringement of Design Patents C. Inducement D. Contributory Infringement E. Patent Infringement Under 28 U.S.C. 1498(a) F. Repair/Reconstruction G. Process Patents Amendment Act H. Joint Infringement 1. General Substantive Principles 2. Application to System Claims I. Doctrine of Equivalents 1. Background 2. The Doctrine After Warner-Jenkinson J. Prosecution History Estoppel 1. Background: The Now-Discarded Hughes Aircraft Flexible Approach to Estoppel 2. Rebutting the Festo Presumption 3. Acts That Create a Presumption of Estoppel 4. Rebuttal of the Festo Presumption of Estoppel 5. Prosecution History Estoppel Is Also Applicable to Design Patents X. Legal Ethics and Inequitable Conduct A. Ethical Obligations in the Prosecution, Reissue and Reexamination of Patent Applications B. Materiality C. Intent 1. Inferred 2. Not Inferred D. Walker-Process-Type Antitrust Claims XI. Amendment and Correction of Patents Page 6

7 A. Reissues 1. The Error Requirement for a Reissue Patent a. Errors in an Original Patent That Are Correctable by Reissue b. The Recapture Estoppel Rule 2. Issues Related to Claim Scope in a Reissue Patent a. No Change in Scope b. Broadened Reissue Claim Scope and Disclaimers i. The Two-Year Requirement ii. The Effect of a Statutory Disclaimer iii. Intervening Rights c. Narrowed Claim Scope d. Claim Construction Issues in Reissue B. Issues Related to Certificates of Correction 1. Certificate of Correction Under 35 U.S.C. 254 (PTO Mistake) 2. Certificate of Correction Under 35 U.S.C. 255 (Applicant s Mistake) C. Limited Authority for District Courts to Correct Claims D. Supplemental Examination XII. The Relief Available to the Prevailing Party in Patent Litigation A. Introduction B. Compensatory Money Damages for Infringement of a Utility Patent Under 35 U.S.C Damages Based on a Reasonable Royalty 2. Damages Based on Lost Profits 3. Daubert Damages Issues in the Federal Circuit C. Damages Issues in Design Patent Cases D. Damages for U.S. Government Secrecy Orders E. Interest and Costs 1. Prejudgment Interest Page 7

8 2. Post-Judgment Interest 3. Award of Costs F. Limitations on Damages 1. Marking and Notice Under 35 U.S.C. 287 a. The Patentee s Duty to Mark b. Actual Notice of Infringement G. Money Awards by the Court 1. Increased Damages Under 35 U.S.C. 284 for Willful Infringement H. Injunctive Relief 1. Injunctions in General/Procedural Aspects 2. Injunctions Against Patent Owners 3. Preliminary Injunctions 4. Permanent Injunctions 5. Contempt I. Claim Preclusion J. Collateral Estoppel K. Laches L. Noteworthy Appellate Practice Cases 1. Introduction 2. Federal Circuit Rules of Practice 3. Federal Circuit Internal Operating Procedures 4. Motions Practice 5. Issues Relating to Appellate Jurisdiction a. Subject Matter Jurisdiction b. Improper Cross-Appeals XIII. Ex Parte and Inter Partes Reexamination A. Ex Parte Reexamination Page 8

9 XIV. 1. Judicial Review of Ex Parte Reexamination 2. Claim Construction Standard for Expired Patents B. Inter Partes Reexamination 1. Refusal to Terminate Inter Partes Reexaminations 2. Arguments Not Waived If They Could Not Have Been Raised Before PTAB 3. No Amendments To Expired Patents 4. Third Party Requester Cross-Appeals 5. Calculating Pre-Reexamination Period Damages For Infringement of A Patent That Survived Reexamination 6. New Grounds For Rejection Arguments Are Waived if Not Raised In A Request for Rehearing Inter Partes Review, CBM Review, Post-Grant Relief, Stays Pending PTO Review A. Inter Partes Review 1. Appealability of Institution Decisions 2. Claim Construction Standards 3. One-Year Bar Under 35 U.S.C. 315(b) 4. Amending Patent Claims 5. Burdens of Proof and Production 6. Other Procedural Issues B. Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents 1. Appealability of Institution Decisions 2. Covered Business Method Patent 3. Other Procedural Issues C. Post-Grant Review 1. Procedural Issues 2. Substantive Issues D. Stays Pending PTO Review 1. Stays Pending Ex Parte Reexaminations 2. Stays Pending Inter Partes Review Page 9

10 3. Stays Pending Post-Grant Review 4. Stays Relating to Transitional Proceeding for Covered Business Method Patents (AIA 18) 5. Interlocutory Appeals from District Court Decisions Granting or Denying Stays Page 10