Damages In Design Patent Infringement Cases
November 02, 2015
The successful plaintiff in a design patent infringement case is entitled to recover the greater of the defendant's profits or its own damages, regardless of how the jury desires to apportion the award. Thus, in <i>Nordock, Inc. v. Systems Inc.,</i> the Federal Circuit ordered a new damages trial on the grounds that the amount of defendant's profits assessed by the jury was not supported by the evidence or in accordance with the law.
Designs on Cheerleader Uniforms Can Be Copyrighted
November 02, 2015
When is a graphic design a "work of authorship" that, when incorporated into the design of a useful article, is "identified separately from, and ' capable of existing independently of, the utilitarian aspects of the article"? In deciding that the designs on cheerleader uniforms were more like copyrightable fabric designs than unprotectable garment designs, the Sixth Circuit undertook a lengthy analysis of "separability.
<b><i>Online Extra:</b></i> Google, Microsoft Strike Patent Peace Deal
October 05, 2015
Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. have buried the hatchet on five years of patent litigation.The companies issued a joint statement on Sept. 30 announcing the conclusion of 20 cases being litigated in the United States and Europe. The agreement comes a week after a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision resolving one of their most prominent disputes.
NLRB General Counsel Shines Guideline Light on Employer Work Rules
October 02, 2015
The NLRB general counsel recently issued a 30-page memorandum setting forth guidance on employers' internal personnel policies to ensure compliance with the National Labor Relations Act. The report is relevant to nearly all private employers, regardless of whether they have union-represented 'employees. We conclude our discussion of the report herein.
Overcoming Challenges In Transferring Technology In Academia and Beyond
October 02, 2015
University technology transfer offices (TTOs) bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization by identifying ways to protect university-generated innovations from unauthorized exploitation, by obtaining the appropriate protection for such innovations, and by facilitating commercialization of these innovations. For-profit companies worldwide engage in a similar process; however, universities face unique challenges in these efforts.
<i>Ariosa Diagnostics v. Sequenom </i>
October 02, 2015
On June 12, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in <i>Ariosa Diagnostics,</i> affirmed a grant of summary judgment of invalidity of another patent in the biotech space. The decision adds to a long and growing list of patents that have fallen in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent 35 U.S.C. '101 jurisprudence.
IP News
September 30, 2015
Federal Circuit: In An IPR Proceeding, The Burden Lies With The Petitioner To Show 'Substantial Evidence' That The Prior Art Patent Is Entitled To The Priority Date Of Its Provisional Application<br>Federal Circuit: Scope Of Reexamination Claims Is Reviewed De Novo
<i>Versata v. SAP </i>: Definitions Are Now the Name of the Game
September 02, 2015
<i>Versata Development Group v. SAP America</i> was a closely watched case since it was the first appeal to the Federal Circuit of a Covered Business Methods review by the PTAB under Section 18 of the America Invents Act. This article addresses the court's reasoning regarding the definitions of a covered business method patent, and how that reasoning is at odds with norms of statutory construction, technological innovation, and claim drafting.
