anchor wall, ecolab, pall corp.

custom search

Reversed
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1653 Prakash, Satya et al. 13111105 CHANG 101/102/103 Jonathan M Kaplan AFREMOVA, VERA

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2153 Thomas M. Annau et al. 13873349 KOHUT 103 Zilka-Kotab, PC - Austin LIN, ALLEN S

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2421 Brian Sprague et al. 13354640 JUNG 103 STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C. CASTRO, ALFONSO

2425 Annamraju, Venu et al. 14571477 JEFFERY 112(2)/101/102 Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP (ImgTec) HODGES, SUSAN E

2488 Thomas J. Mcmanus et al. 13944642 CYGAN 103 Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. Intellectual Property Group, Fluke Patents LE, PETER D

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2674 Dov Katz et al. 15089447 DIXON 103 Facebook/Fenwick DEMETER, HILINA K

2692 Google LLC 14643488 BENNETT 103 FISH & RICHARDSON P.C. SUTEERAWONGSA, JARURAT

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3624 TSAI, Shawn Ching-Hsiang. et al. 13300583 BRANCH 112(1) Cooper Legal Group LLC RINES, ROBERT D

3657 KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH 14454893 MARTIN 103 CROWELL & MORING LLP SICONOLFI, ROBERT

3684 Muthu Sundaresan et al. 14807978 SHIANG 101/OTDP Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. (eBay Inc.) ZIMMERMAN, MATTHEW E

3686 ZirMed, Inc. 13963934 CURCURI 101 FORTKORT & HOUSTON P.C. TOMASZEWSKI, MICHAEL

3695 Clifford J. Weber et al. 14822286 HUME 101/103 IP GROUP OF DLA PIPER LLP (US) POLLOCK, GREGORY A

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3735 Miller, Darrell James. et al. 12733576 REIMERS 103 WITHROW & TERRANOVA, P.L.L.C. GRANO, ERNESTO ARTURIO

3762 Balduin, Michael et al. 12302374 REIMERS 103 OBLON, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, L.L.P. BARGERO, JOHN E

3792 Oliver John. Ridler et al. 14807473 LANEY 112(1)/112(2)/102/103 Merchant & Gould Cochlear STICE, PAULA J

 Over the years, the Federal Circuit has consistently maintained that a term of approximation, such as “substantially,” is a descriptive term “commonly used in patent claims ‘to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter.”’  Anchor Wall Sys., Inc. v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc., 340 F.3d 1298, 1310–11 (Fed. Cir. 2003); see also Ecolab, Inc. v. Envirochem, Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2001), Pall Corp. v. Micron Separations, Inc., 66 F.3d 1211, 1217 (Fed. Cir. 1995).  In this case, the Examiner has not persuasively demonstrated that the use “substantially” creates any ambiguities beyond those inherently sanctioned by allowing an invention to be defined without providing strict numerical boundaries to a specified parameter.

Ecolab, Inc. v. FMC Corp., 569 F.3d 1335, 91 USPQ2d 1225 (Fed. Cir. 2009) 2143

3793 Kevin Gin. Park et al. 14201158 REIMERS 103 Armstrong Teasdale LLP (32736) BEHRINGER, LUTHER G

Affirmed-in-Part
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2618 Josiah Eatedali et al. 15042543 SHIANG 103 103 DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC. c/o Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP HICKEY, DIANA S

2626 LG Display Co., Ltd. 15158440 BUI 112(1)/103 103 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (WA) CRAWLEY, KEITH L

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3673 Wade Daniel. Palashewski et al. 14146281 PESLAK 103 103 FISH & RICHARDSON P.C. (TC) MCCLURE, MORGAN J

3681 Greg Taylor et al. 13126810 KENNY 101/102 101/102/103 41.50 112(1)/112(2) HAUPTMAN HAM, LLP SORKOWITZ, DANIEL M

3695 Clifford J. Weber et al. 14812717 HUME 112(1)/101/103 OTDP IP GROUP OF DLA PIPER LLP (US) POLLOCK, GREGORY A

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3786 Benjamin V. Booher 14047828 WOOD 112(1)/103 112(2) BOOTH UDALL FULLER, PLC NGUYEN, CAMTU TRAN

3792 Valencell, Inc. 14101468 FINAMORE 103 112(2) MYERS BIGEL, P.A. HOUGH, JESSANDRA F

Affirmed
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1631 Prakash Sreedhar. Murthy 13000667 BAYAT 101 BUCHANAN, INGERSOLL & ROONEY PC BORIN, MICHAEL L

1648 Peter O. Krutzik et al. 13175566 NEWMAN 103 STANFORD UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY LICENSING BOZICEVIC, FIELD & FRANCIS LLP CHEN, STACY BROWN

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1784 AGC Inc. 15258139 KENNEDY 103 OBLON, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, L.L.P. IVEY, ELIZABETH D

1788 Carmine Carlo. Ammirati et al. 12993213 HEANEY 103 Cozen O'Connor GOLDEN, CHINESSA T

1788 Kay Bernhard et al. 13122760 RANGE 103 HAMMER & ASSOCIATES, P.C. VAZQUEZ, ELAINE M

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2145 Alexis Tamas et al. 13937608 BRANCH 103 Harness Dickey (Troy) JIANG, HAIMEI

2164 Schmidt, Olaf 13738686 STEPHENS 103 FISH & RICHARDSON, P.C. (SAP) FERRER, JEDIDIAH P

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2425 ERICSSON AB 14050034 KOHUT 101 102 ERICSSON INC. EKPO, NNENNA NGOZI

2439 Takaya Kato 14510427 KOHUT 103 OLIFF PLC WANG, HARRIS C

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2688 John W. Nicholson et al. 12789751 DESHPANDE 102/103 FERENCE & ASSOCIATES LLC SNIEZEK, ANDREW L

2689 Raj B. Apte et al. 14548337 PER CURIAM 103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY CASILLASHERNANDEZ, OMAR

2689 Raj B. Apte et al. 13551563 PER CURIAM 103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY CASILLASHERNANDEZ, OMAR

2699 Peter Meier et al. 15273591 POTHIER 103/OTDP Apple - Blank Rome c/o Blank Rome LLP GILES, NICHOLAS G

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3635 Sorkin, Felix 15382284 MARSCHALL 103 Adolph Locklar Michael Locklar LAUX, JESSICA L

3655 Norman J. Bird 15156568 REIMERS 103 MACMILLAN, SOBANSKI & TODD, LLC - FORD FLUHART, STACEY A

3663 Oliver Schwindt 14271650 PLENZLER 103 103 MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP (Bosch) CHEN, SHELLEY

3665 Nicholas Bicknell et al. 14201464 BAYAT 101 KOWERT, HOOD, MUNYON, RANKIN & GOETZEL, P.C. SHAAWAT, MUSSA A

3681 Ronnie Jack. Garmon 12567973 PINKERTON 101 ADD&G - 27975 HENRY, RODNEY M

3682 Adam D'Angelo et al. 12853242 KERINS 101 Facebook/Fenwick SITTNER, MATTHEW T

3683 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. 14308842 HUTCHINGS 101 PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS LOFTIS, JOHNNA RONEE

3685 Berger, Richard et al. 13228269 BISK 101/103 Procopio - SPE WINTER, JOHN M

3686 Billye Guthrie et al. 14169251 REPKO 101 WOMBLE BOND DICKINSON (US) LLP/ABBOTT CARDIOVASCUL NG, JONATHAN K

3689 Ethan Hadar et al. 12713557 REPKO 101 Baker Botts LLP/CA Technologies SHANKER, JULIE MEYERS

3693 Esurance Insurance Services, Inc. 14161586 COURTENAY 112(2)/112(4)/101 Mintz Levin/San Diego Office ALLADIN, AMBREEN A

3695 Manuel Becerra et al. 12391010 BARRY dissenting WHITEHEAD JR. 112(1)/112(2) 101 ALSTON & BIRD LLP POLLOCK, GREGORY A

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3715 Nvidia Corporation 15166635 GUIJT 103 PARKER JUSTISS, P.C./Nvidia GARNER, WERNER G

3732 NIKE, Inc. 14851854 REIMERS 103 Quinn IP Law/NIKE, Inc. MOHANDESI, JILA M

3735 Elbkaily, Marwan et al. 13411136 STEPINA 103 Dykema Gossett PLLC STASHICK, ANTHONY D

3741 UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION 14432437 REIMERS 102 O''''Shea Getz P.C. WALTHOUR, SCOTT J

3745 Christopher S. Mckaveney et al. 13241756 GUIJT 112(1)/102/103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS/PRATT & WHITNEY ADJAGBE, MAXIME M

3752 PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS S.A. 15121554 REIMERS 103 41.50 103 MUETING, RAASCH & GEBHARDT, P.A. VALVIS, ALEXANDER M

3761 Guillemot, Francois et al. 14404677 PLENZLER 102/103 41.50 112(2) OBLON, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, L.L.P. STAPLETON, ERIC S

3761 APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. 14014947 MARTIN 103 PATTERSON & SHERIDAN, LLP - - APPLIED MATERIALS MURANAMI, MASAHIKO

3792 Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. 14884417 MARSCHALL 103 112(1) SCHWEGMAN LUNDBERG & WOESSNER/BSC WU, TONG E

anchor wall, deering, laryngeal, michalek, reid, york prod.

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3738 Ex Parte Shanley et al 11582818 - (D) SNEDDEN 102/103 Dergosits & Noah LLP STEWART, JASON-DENNIS NEILKEN

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2114 Ex Parte Aichelen et al 11383000 - (D) BUSCH 102 102/103 IBM CORPORATION STREETS & STEELE PATEL, JIGAR P

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2658 Ex Parte Said et al 10686127 - (D) WARD 103 103 BANIAK PINE & GANNON BORSETTI, GREG

see also Laryngeal Mask Co. Ltd. v. Ambu A/S, 618 F.3d 1367, 1372 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (citations omitted) (concluding the patentee did not act as his own lexicographer because “[t]o be his own lexicographer, a patentee must use a ‘special definition of the term [that] is clearly stated in the patent specification or file history’”).

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3781 Ex Parte Krueger et al 12023165 - (D) BROWN 103 103 HONIGMAN MILLER SCHWARTZ & COHN LLP SMALLEY, JAMES N

Tech Center 3900 Central Reexamination Unit (CRU)
2736 Ex Parte SE-KURE CONTROLS, INC. Appellant 90011404 5,861,807 08/967,729 FITZPATRICK 102 102/103 WOOD PHILLIPS VAN SANTEN CLARK & MORTIMER LEUNG, CHRISTINA Y original MULLEN, THOMAS J

See, e.g., York Prods., Inc. v. Cent. Tractor Farm & Family Ctr., 99 F.3d 1568, 1572-73 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (“The term ‘substantially’ has been construed in patent claims as ‘largely but not wholly that which is specified.’”) (quoting Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary 1176 (9th ed. 1983)); Deering Precision Instruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distribution Systems, Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 1323 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (“The term ‘substantially’ can also mean ‘largely’ or ‘essentially.’”) (quoting Webster’s New 20th Century Dictionary 1817 (1983)); cf. Anchor Wall Systems, Inc. v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc., 340 F.3d 1298, 1311 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (“the phrase ‘generally parallel’ envisions some amount of deviation from exactly parallel”).

York Products, Inc. v. Central Tractor Farm & Family Center, 99 F.3d 1568, 40 USPQ2d 1619 (Fed. Cir. 1996) 2181 

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1612 Ex Parte Francois et al 10585754 - (D) SCHEINER 103 ELI LILLY & COMPANY MILLIGAN, ADAM C

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2113 Ex Parte Smith et al 10787624 - (D) FRAHM 103 TROP, PRUNER & HU, P.C. MANOSKEY, JOSEPH D

2117 Ex Parte Dietrich et al 10404783 - (D) STRAUSS 102/103 CPA Global Caven & Aghevli LLC NGUYEN, STEVE N

2156 Ex Parte Rastegar et al 11520320 - (D) SMITH 103 Thomas Spinelli, Esq. LIAO, JASON G

2169 Ex Parte Osofsky et al 11191332 - (D) SMITH 103 IBM LOTUS & RATIONAL SW c/o GUERIN & RODRIGUEZ CHAU, DUNG K

2171 Ex Parte Resner et al 11149929 - (D) DILLON 103 Charles G. Call PAN, YONGJIA

2421 Ex Parte Pugel et al 10549253 - (D) WARD 103 THOMSON Licensing LLC HANCE, ROBERT J

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2424 Ex Parte Barraclough et al 09740263 - (D) WEINBERG 112(1)/103 CRAWFORD MAUNU PLLC HOSSAIN, FARZANA E

2435 Ex Parte MacKenzie 10600687 - (D) BENOIT 103 Ryan, Mason, & Lewis, LLP TO, BAOTRAN N

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2679 Ex Parte Kerr et al 10161514 - (D) HOFF 103 EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY PRENDERGAST, ROBERTA D

2684 Ex Parte Ahmed et al 10952236 - (D) McKEOWN 103 Siemens Corporation BLOUNT, ERIC

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2811 Ex Parte Fukui 10925986 - (D) DILLON 103 BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH NADAV, ORI

The failures of experimenters who have no interest in succeeding should not be accorded great weight.

In re Michalek, 162 F. 2d 229 - Court of Customs and Patent Appeals 1947

Michalek, In re, 162 F.2d 229, 74 USPQ 107 (CCPA 1947) 716.07

Application of Reid, 179 F. 2d 998 - Court of Customs and Patent Appeals 1950

Reid, In re, 179 F.2d 998, 84 USPQ 478 (CCPA 1950) 716.07

Tech Center 3900 Central Reexamination Unit (CRU)
1501 Ex parte SOLTA MEDICAL, INC. 90010160 5660836 08/435,544 LEBOVITZ 102/103 WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, LLP JONES, DWAYNE C original HULINA, AMY

1712 Ex parte SOLTA MEDICAL, INC. 90010161 6,387,380 08/635,202 LEBOVITZ 102/103 WOOD , HERRON & EVANS, LLP (SOLTA) JONES, DWAYNE C original HULINA, AMY

york prod., anchor wall

REVERSED

3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3664 Ex Parte Needelman et al 11/028,094 BAHR 102(b) OSTRAGER CHONG FLAHERTY & BROITMAN, P.C. EXAMINER PECHE, JORGE O

AFFIRMED-IN-PART

2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2175 Ex Parte Davis et al 10/787,641 DIXON 103(a) IBM CORPORATION, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW EXAMINER KEATON, SHERROD L

AFFIRMED

1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1623 Ex Parte Antrim et al 10/874,686 MILLS 102(b)/102(e)/103(a) FITCH, EVEN, TABIN & FLANNERY EXAMINER BLAND, LAYLA D
2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2111 Ex Parte Clark et al 11/077,330 JEFFERY 103(a) IBM CORPORATION EXAMINER VU, TRISHA U

2161 Ex Parte Kelley et al 10/624,085 JEFFERY 103(a) Perkins Coie LLP EXAMINER LU, CHARLES EDWARD

2183 Ex Parte Alexander et al 10/835,105 BARRY 112(1)/102(b)/103(a)/112(2) 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) IBM CORP (YA) EXAMINER PETRANEK, JACOB ANDREW
2400 Networking, Mulitplexing, Cable, and Security
2451 Ex Parte Symons et al 09/971,857 HAHN 103(a) HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY EXAMINER DIVECHA, KAMAL B
3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3727 Ex Parte Schroder 11/657,677 BARRETT 103(a) DILLON & YUDELL LLP EXAMINER MEISLIN, DEBRA S

3734 Ex Parte Pavich et al 11/106,094 O’NEILL 103(a) BARNES & THORNBURG LLP EXAMINER BLATT, ERIC D

We note that the word “substantially” is often construed in patent claims as “largely but not wholly that which is specified.” See York Prods., Inc. v. Cent. Tractor Farm & Family Ctr., 99 F.3d 1568, 1573 (Fed. Cir. 1996). ... In addition, we note that use of words of approximation, such as “substantially,” in a patent claim implies the avoidance of a strict numerical boundary of the specified parameter. See Anchor Wall Sys., Inc. v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc., 340 F.3d 1298, 1311 (Fed. Cir. 2003).

York Products, Inc. v. Central Tractor Farm & Family Center, 99 F.3d 1568, 40 USPQ2d 1619 (Fed. Cir. 1996), 2181