ngai, miller2

custom search

REVERSED 

Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry

1636 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research 15897030 - (D) TOWNSEND 103 FISH & RICHARDSON P.C. (TC) GALISTEO GONZALE, ANTONIO

1653 Kim O'Connor et al. 13992953 - (D) JENKS 103 Boulware & Valoir MCNEIL, STEPHANIE A N

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering

1724 UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION 14768622 - (D) WILSON 102 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C. SLIFKA, SARAH A

1725 FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC 14177437 - (D) McMANUS 102/103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C./Ford LEE, JAMES

1783 Tsinghua University et al. 15798730 - (D) WILSON 103 ScienBiziP, PC AUER, LAURA A

1783 ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE) 15094235 - (D) GRIMES 103 NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP -Essilor KHATRI, PRASHANT J

1787 LG CHEM, LTD. 14442301 - (D) DIXON 103 Dentons US LLP HUANG, CHENG YUAN

1792 Matthew Ian. Elliott et al. 14118510 - (D) SNAY 103 Mars, Inc. c/o Mars Petcare Theresa Shearin KIM, BRYAN

1794 Christian Linke et al. 14110527 - (D) OWENS 103 LERNER GREENBERG STEMER LLP BAND, MICHAEL A

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software

2176 Google Inc. 13736034 - (D) KUMAR 103 LOWENSTEIN SANDLER LLP / Google MERCADO VARGAS, ARIEL

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security

2425 Pelco, Inc. 13827460 - (D) CURCURI 103 TUTUNJIAN & BITETTO, P.C. HODGES, SUSAN E

2477 SATCOM1 APS 15305064 - (D) MORGAN 103 HONEYWELL/LKGLOBAL SEFCHECK, GREGORY B

2487 KSI Data Sciences Inc. 14541923 - (D) ARPIN 103 Blank Rome LLP FEREJA, SAMUEL D

2488 Disney Enterprises, Inc. 14508214 - (D) KHAN 103 DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC. c/o Fay Kaplun & Marcin, LLP DANG, PHILIP

Tech Center 2600 Communications

2618 Target Brands, Inc. 14943609 - (D) CRAIG 102/103 Target Brands Inc. WANG, JIN CHENG

2683 MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC 15592397 - (D) DIXON 103 MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. TRAN, THANG DUC

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components

2811 Infineon Technologies Austria AG 14881477 - (D) WILSON 102/103 MURPHY, BILAK & HOMILLER/INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES GEBREMARIAM, SAMUEL A

2813 APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. 15356475 - (D) HOUSEL 103 41.50 103 Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt/AMAT MENZ, LAURA MARY

2846 Robert Bosch GmbH 14356186 - (D) RANGE 103 MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP (Bosch) JOSEPH, DEVON A

2872 Bates, Kenn S. et al. 13587989 - (D) FRANKLIN Dissenting REN 103 Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP (Raytheon) TALLMAN, ROBERT E

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design

3715 John Wokurka et al. 14599766 - (D) WOOD 103 DUKE W. YEE YEE & ASSOCIATES, P.C. BULLINGTON, ROBERT P

3726 MTU Aero Engines AG 15299005 - (D) GREENHUT 112(1)/103 Davidson, Davidson & Kappel, LLC TRAVERS, MATTHEW P

3761 Yukiaki NAGATA et al. 13476677 - (D) KERINS 112(2)/103 OLIFF PLC ROSARIO-APONTE, ALBA T

3763 ARKEMA FRANCE 14372396 - (D) KERINS 112(1)/112(2)/103 BUCHANAN, INGERSOLL & ROONEY PC FURDGE, LARRY L

4149 LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC. 13802883 - (D) WIEDER 103 Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP HOANG, MICHAEL G

AFFIRMED-IN-PART 

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering

1725 DARLING, Robert Mason. 14652131 - (D) DENNETT 102/103 102/103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C. AKRAM, IMRAN

1783 Kuraray Europe GmbH 15491261 - (D) GAUDETTE 103 103 Brooks Kushman UTT, ETHAN A

1786 Chuanjun Xia et al. 14838874 - (D) COLAIANNI 103 103 Riverside Law LLP/Universal Display Corporation GARRETT, DAWN L

1793 Timothy A. Stubbs et al. 14229439 - (D) ROBERTSON 103 112(2)/102 Duane Morris LLP-HILLSHIRE MCCLAIN-COLEMAN, TYNESHA L.

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software

2177 Apple Inc. 14975299 - (D) ANDERSON 103 OTDP 41.50 102 APPLE INC. - Fletcher c/o Fletcher Yoder, PC NGUYEN, CHAU T

Our reviewing court has held that an applicant cannot create a novel product by attaching printed matter to it, even if that printed matter itself is new. See, e.g., Ngai. 367 F.3d 1336, 1338 (adding instructions to a kit that describe a method of using it does not make the kit patentable over the same kit with a different set of instructions.). Our reviewing court has identified cases in which the descriptive material can form a functional relationship with the underlying substrate. For example, in In re Miller, the addition of printed matter to the outside of a cup permitted an otherwise ordinary cup to be used like a measuring cup to half recipes. In re Miller, 418 F.2d 1392, 1396 (CCPA 1969). The printed matter in Miller was determined to serve as a computing or mathematical recipe conversion device permitting a cook to perform calculations automatically with no further thought. However, as discussed above, Appellant’s claim 1 is more like the claim in Ngai than Miller. 

Miller, In re, 418 F.2d 1392, 164 USPQ 46 (CCPA 1969) 2111.05 , 2112.01

Ngai, In re, 367 F.3d 1336, 70 USPQ2d 1862 (Fed. Cir. 2004) 2111.05 , 2112.01

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review

3641 Skychase Holdings Corporation 15049698 - (D) FITZPATRICK Concurring CAPP 103 112(1)/103 Whitmyer IP Group LLC WEBER, JONATHAN C

3681 Russell Gottesman et al. 12259092 - (D) SILVERMAN 102 103 Dennemeyer & Associates, LLC HENRY, RODNEY M

AFFIRMED 

Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry

1611 BASF Corporation 14651356 - (D) VALEK 103 Armstrong Teasdale LLP RICCI, CRAIG D

1626 DSM IP ASSETS B.V. 15697723 - (D) JENKS 103 NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC PATEL, SAGAR S

1631 Searete LLC 14966276 - (D) PRATS 103/OTDP Advent, LLP/INTELLECTUAL VENTURES NEGIN, RUSSELL SCOTT

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering

1712 BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION 15151084 - (D) GAUDETTE 112(1)/103 THE MARBURY LAW GROUP, PLLC TADAYYON ESLAMI, TABASSOM

1715 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation 15631803 - (D) DELMENDO 102/103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C. BURKHART, ELIZABETH A

1723 LG CHEM, LTD. 14441580 - (D) BEST 103/OTDP LGCHEM Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik, LLP ZHANG, HAIXIA

1788 THE BOEING COMPANY 14591855 - (D) McMANUS 103 HAYNES AND BOONE, LLP (70186) VO, HAI

1791 CARGILL, INCORPORATED 15220165 - (D) HOUSEL 103 CARGILL, INCORPORATED STULII, VERA

1792 SCELTA ESSENZA HOLDING B.V. 14068119 - (D) ROBERTSON 112(1)/103 HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER LLP ZILBERING, ASSAF

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software

2143 Saaroni, Dror et al. 14373843 - (D) MORGAN 102/103 MICRO FOCUS LLC SUN, LI P

2165 GOOGLE LLC 15807891 - (D) MORGAN 103 LOWENSTEIN SANDLER LLP / Google CHEUNG, EDDY

2198 Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. 14706015 - (D) McCARTNEY 101/103 CAPITOL PATENT & TRADEMARK LAW FIRM, PLLC ZHAO, BING

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security

2414 LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC 14920465 - (D) ARPIN 103 LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC SONG, REBECCA E

2473 QUALCOMM Incorporated 14162664 - (D) McCARTNEY 112(1)/112(2)/103 Qualcomm Incorporated/Seyfarth Shaw LLP Alan M. Lenkin NGO, NGUYEN HOANG

2476 Level 3 Communications, LLC 15282702 - (D) ARPIN 102/103 LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC ASEFA, DEBEBE A

2495 ALCATEL-LUCENT USA, INC. 14713525 - (D) PRAISS 102/103 Terry W. Kramer, Esq. Kramer & Amado, P.C. WILLIAMS, JEFFERY L

Tech Center 2600 Communications

2625 Piccionielli, Gregory A. et al. 13815769 - (D) EVANS 102/103 Gregory A. Piccionelli SCHNIREL, ANDREW B

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components

2848 Messner, Joseph 14315262 - (D) McMANUS 103 Morgan Law Offices, PLC WAGNER, JENNY L

2883 SEMTECH CANADA CORPORATION 14695890 - (D) McMANUS 112(1)/112(2) HOFFMAN WARNICK LLC PASCAL, LESLIE C

2891 Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. 15389974 - (D) ROBERTSON 103 Shumaker & Sieffert, P.A. Infineon Technologies AG GONDARENKO, NATALIA A

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review

3617 SEA EAGLE BOATS, INC. 15851006 - (D) GREENHUT 103 STAAS & HALSEY LLP POLAY, ANDREW

3621 ECEBS LIMITED 14246778 - (D) HOWARD 103 KILPATRICK TOWNSEND & STOCKTON LLP/VISA MANDEL, MONICA A

3624 Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC 15637976 - (D) COURTENAY 112(1) 112(1)/103 MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP (MS) WEBB III, JAMES L

3626 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. 15022252 - (D) SAADAT 102 101 PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS COBANOGLU, DILEK B

3633 Steven Roth 15278755 - (D) SONG 103 Steven Vosen HERRING, BRENT W

3638 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. 9,086,850 13/545,882 15655649 - (D) OSINSKI 112(1)/112(2) 102 SUGHRUE MION, PLLC LILLIS, EILEEN DUNN original ISLAM, SYED A

3657 3X Engineering 15703405 - (D) BAHR 103 JAMES C. LYDON NGUYEN, XUAN LAN T

3662 The Boeing Company 15245589 - (D) DEFRANCO 103 112(2) DUFT & BORNSEN, PC HAN, CHARLES J

3682 Apple Inc. 14728791 - (D) MOHANTY 102/103 Polsinelli -- Apple Inc. c/o Polsinelli PC STOLTENBERG, DAVID J

3683 ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION 14686896 - (D) COURTENAY 101 Kraguljac Law Group/Oracle IQBAL, MUSTAFA

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design

3715 D2L Corporation 14729526 - (D) HILL 101/103 BERESKIN & PARR LLP/S.E.N.C.R.L., s.r.l. THAI, XUAN MARIAN

3715 Tackett, Keith Martin. 12779855 - (D) WARNER 101 PATTERSON + SHERIDAN, L.L.P. PINHEIRO, JASON PAUL

3745 UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION 14917855 - (D) DEFRANCO 103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS/PRATT & WHITNEY HASAN, SABBIR

3745 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. 14042323 - (D) BROWN 103 HONEYWELL/LKGLOBAL LAMBERT, WAYNE A

3753 WEIR CANADA, INC. 14736873 - (D) DEFRANCO 103 PERRY + CURRIER INC. WILLIAMS, PATRICK C

3792 RHYTHM DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS, INC. 15728215 - (D) HOELTER 112(1)/112(2)/103 Peter B. Scull HDC IP Law, LLP JIAN, SHIRLEY XUEYING

3793 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 14599678 - (D) FITZPATRICK 103 101 SIEMENS CORPORATION AKAR, SERKAN

REHEARING

DENIED 

Tech Center 2600 Communications

2623 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 14890554 - (R) ANDERSON 103 Murphy, Bilak & Homiller/Ericsson PATEL, PREMAL R

lowry, ngai

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1627 Ex Parte Ellers-Lenz et al 12733646 - (D) TOWNSEND 103/double patenting THE FIRM OF HUESCHEN AND SAGE N ANOV A, SVETLANA M

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2135 Ex Parte Muralimanohar et al 13092912 - (D) KHAN 103 Hewlett Packard Enterprise GEBRIL, MOHAMED M

2184 Ex Parte Grohman et al 12603468 - (D) DIXON 103 Betty E. Ungerman MAMO, ELIAS

As such, the Examiner need not give patentable weight to descriptive material absent a new and unobvious functional relationship between the descriptive material and the substrate. See In re Lowry, 32 F.3d 1579, 1582- 1583 (Fed. Cir. 1994); In re Ngai, 367 F.3d 1336, 1339 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (nonfunctional descriptive material cannot render nonobvious an invention that would have otherwise been obvious).

Lowry, In re, 32 F.3d 1579, 32 USPQ2d 1031 (Fed. Cir. 1994) 2111.05

Ngai, In re, 367 F.3d 1336, 70 USPQ2d 1862 (Fed. Cir. 2004) 2112.01

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2668 Ex Parte THOMA et al 13547195 - (D) KUMAR 103 KEATING & BENNETT, LLP SCHOPPE, ZIMMERMANN , STOCKELER & ZINKLER LESNICK, ALEXANDER J

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3624 Ex Parte Karlsson 13679948 - (D) MacDONALD 101/251 Keller Jolley Preece/Facebook CARLSON, JEFFREY D

OPQA Ex Parte OKIGAMI 13907583 - (D) AMUNDSON 103 Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP GUILLERMETY, FRED

gulack, ngai

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2123 Ex Parte Toland et al 12494146 - (D) HOWARD 103 WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY JOHNSON, CEDRIC D

2194 Ex Parte BURCKART et al 12763521 - (D) JEFFERY 112(1)/112(2)/101 LAW OFFICE OF JIM BOICE WATHEN, BRIAN W

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2838 Ex Parte Cyron et al 12775187 - (D) MORGAN 103 Cozen O'Connor GBLENDE, JEFFREY A

2842 Ex Parte Bakalski et al 12704737 - (D) PER CURIAM 103 SLATER & MATSIL, L.L.P. O TOOLE, COLLEEN J

2872 Ex Parte Luo et al 12978966 - (D) HEANEY 102 MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP (Bosch) PICHLER, MARIN

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3733 Ex Parte Mirkovic et al 12686262 - (D) ABRAMS 102/103 KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP COMSTOCK, DAVID C

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2618 Ex Parte Conlon 12636297 - (D) SILVERMAN double patenting/103 double patenting Basch & Nickerson LLP PRINGLE-PARKER, JASON A

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1634 Ex Parte Hospach et al 12560110 - (D) NEW 102/103 OBLON, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, L.L.P. CROW, ROBERT THOMAS

1649 Ex Parte GRELL et al 13052496 - (D) ADAMS dissenting McCOLLUM 103 MILLEN, WHITE, ZELANO & BRANIGAN, P.C. EMCH, GREGORY S

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2169 Ex Parte Mindrum 11685378 - (D) EVANS 112(a) 103 FROST BROWN TODD LLC TRUONG, CAM Y T

We declined to afford the claimed "identifier" patentable weight because  "[t]he critical question is whether there exists any new and unobvious functional relationship between the printed matter and the substrate." Mindrum 1 5 (quoting In re Gulack, 703 F.2d 1381, 1386 (Fed. Cir. 1983)). We answered that question in the negative, finding "[w]here the printed matter is not functionally related to the substrate, the printed matter will not distinguish the invention from the prior art in terms of patentability." In re Ngai, 367 F. 3d 1336, 1339 (Fed. Cir. 2004).

...

We recognize that the "[d]ifferences between an invention and the prior art cited against it cannot be ignored merely because those differences reside in the content of the printed matter." Gulack, 703 F.2d at 1385. The "critical question" is whether the claimed "identifier" is more than "a new instruction sheet" because it is claimed as a "machine-readable feature configured to provide automatic acquisition of information?" See Ngai, 367 F. 3d at 1338—39 (The Ngai court reasoned that if it "were to adopt Ngai's position, anyone could continue patenting a product indefinitely provided that they add a new instruction sheet to the product").

Gulack, In re, 703 F.2d 1381, 217 USPQ 401 (Fed. Cir. 1983) 2112.01

Ngai, In re, 367 F.3d 1336, 70 USPQ2d 1862 (Fed. Cir. 2004) 2112.01

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2431 Ex Parte Singhal 13199739 - (D) JIVANI 102/103 103/double patenting Tara Chand Sighal CHAI, LONGBIT

2468 Ex Parte Bahrs et al 12049287 - (D) McNEILL 103 LESLIE A. VAN LEEUWEN IBM CORPORATION- POUGHKEEPSIE (JVL) WAQAS, SAAD A

2469 Ex Parte KIM et al 12534999 - (D) WHITEHEAD JR. 102/103 THE FARRELL LAW FIRM, P.C. HUYNH, DUNG B.

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2618 Ex Parte Conlon 12636331 - (D) SILVERMAN double patenting/103 Basch & Nickerson LLP PRINGLE-PARKER, JASON A

2618 Ex Parte Conlon 12636348 - (D) SILVERMAN double patenting/103 Basch & Nickerson LLP PRINGLE-PARKER, JASON A

2622 Ex Parte Birnbaum 12605651 - (D) MANTIS MERCADER 102/103 Kilpatrick Townsend and Stockton, LLP NGO, TONY N

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3611 Ex Parte Hagenbuch 13544913 - (D) GUIJT 112(2)/103 Leydig, Voit & Mayer BRITTMAN, FELICIA LUCILLE

3622 Ex Parte Patel et al 11373023 - (D) MEDLOCK 103 Baker Botts L.L.P. RETTA, YEHDEGA

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3715 Ex Parte Crowhurst 10870428 - (D) MELVIN 103 MILES & STOCKBRIDGE PC GISHNOCK, NIKOLAI A

3731 Ex Parte Reiser et al 13220917 - (D) MURPHY 102/103 JOHNSON & JOHNSON WOO, JULIAN W

astrazeneca, ngai, king

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2155 Ex Parte Yates et al 11900931 - (D) DANG 103 EDELL, SHAPIRO, & FINNAN, LLC HERSHLEY, MARK E

2161 Ex Parte Szabo 11942556 - (D) FRAHM 102 Trellis IP Law Group/ Sony Corp. LE, HUNG D

2181 Ex Parte Nogueras et al 12135999 - (D) DIXON 103 Greg Goshorn, P.C. LEE, CHUN KUAN

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2647 Ex Parte Hulkkonen et al 12743343 - (D) JIVANI 102/103 Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP Nokia Technologies Oy TRANDAI, CINDY HUYEN

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3652 Ex Parte Rother et al 12151965 - (D) HILL 103 MARK P. STONE HAGEMAN, MARK C

3657 Ex Parte Jolley et al 12258212 - (D) ASTORINO 103 BAKER BOTTS L.L.P. WILLIAMS, THOMAS J

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3766 Ex Parte Singhal et al 11526514 - (D) WIEKER 112(2)/103 SHUMAKER & SIEFFERT , P.A PATEL, NATASHA

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2813 Ex Parte Zundel et al 12186034 - (D) HANLON 103 103 DICKE, BILLIG & CZAJA NICELY, JOSEPH C

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1633 Ex Parte Connor et al 11407446 - (D) PAULRAJ 103 McCarter & English / KCI NGUYEN, QUANG

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1764 Ex Parte Asandei 12052947 - (D) McKELVEY 103 CANTOR COLBURN LLP KAUCHER, MARK S

1767 Ex Parte Hayashi et al 12280300 - (D) SMITH 102/103/obviousness-type double patenting BUCHANAN, INGERSOLL & ROONEY PC HEINCER, LIAM J

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2183 Ex Parte Ferren et al 11292207 - (D) KRIVAK 112(2)/102/103 Constellation Law Group, PLLC FAHERTY, COREY S

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2435 Ex Parte Shapiro 11132923 - (D) FRAHM 103 Wolfe-SBMC SCHWARTZ, DARREN B

2442 Ex Parte Faraj 11837024 - (D) SHIANG 101 103 Kennedy Lenart Spraggins LLP IBM (ROC-BKLS) MACILWINEN, JOHN MOORE JAIN

2466 Ex Parte Khuc 11434841 - (D) TROCK 103 SPRINT OH, ANDREW CHUNG SUK

2476 Ex Parte Wakumoto 11680089 - (D) BUI 102/103/obviousness-type double patenting HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY GHAFOERKHAN, FAIYAZKHAN

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2644 Ex Parte Hurtta et al 12213551 - (D) BAER 103 Mintz Levin/Nokia Technologies Oy HO, HUY C

2657 Ex Parte Bollenbacher et al 12130934 - (D) DIXON 103 CRGO LAW STEVEN M. GREENBERG PULLIAS, JESSE SCOTT

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3725 Ex Parte Schultz 12757366 - (D) GOODSON 103 41.50 103 FAY SHARPE LLP LEWIS, JUSTIN V

In essence, Appellant argues that the illustrations functionally interrelate with the mat because they represent instructions for using the mat to carry out inspection and cleaning. Yet the Federal Circuit’s precedents have “foreclosed the argument that simply adding new instructions to a known product creates the functional relationship necessary to distinguish the product from the prior art.” AstraZeneca LP v. Apotex Inc., 633 F.3d 1042, 1065 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (citing In re Ngai, 367 F.3d 1336, 1339 (Fed. Cir. 2004)). In Ngai, the court found that, in a kit claim, recited instructions for using the kit were not entitled to patentable weight because “the printed matter in no way depends on the kit, and the kit does not depend on the printed matter. All that the printed matter does is teach a new use for an existing product.” Ngai, 367 F.3d at 1339. Likewise, here, the illustrations on the mat do not depend on the mat, and the mat does not depend on the illustrations. The illustrations simply convey information to a user about cleaning and inspection operations that can be carried out on the mat.

“The rationale behind [the printed matter] line of cases is preventing the indefinite patenting of known products by the simple inclusion of novel, yet functionally unrelated limitations.” King Pharm., 616 F.3d at 1279 (Fed. Cir. 2010); see also Ngai, 367 F.3d at 1339 (“If we were to adopt Ngai’s position, anyone could continue patenting a product indefinitely provided that they add a new instruction sheet to the product.”). In this case, permitting Appellant to distinguish the prior art based on the contents of the illustrations appearing on the mat would allow continued patenting of a known product by the mere inclusion of novel non-functional descriptive material. 

Ngai, In re, 367 F.3d 1336, 70 USPQ2d 1862 (Fed. Cir. 2004) 2112.01

King Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. Eon Labs Inc., 616 F.3d 1267, 95 USPQ2d 1833 (Fed. Cir. 2010) 2111.05

3762 Ex Parte Kelly et al 12423407 - (D) PAULRAJ 103 GARLICK & MARKISON LEVICKY, WILLIAM J

3779 Ex Parte SUZUSHIMA et al 11539421 - (D) ADAMS 102 OSTROLENK FABER LLP NEWTON, ALEXANDRA L

3788 Ex Parte Erickson et al 13013331 - (D) JESCHKE 102/103/obviousness-type double patenting SEAGER, TUFTE & WICKHEM, LLC STASHICK, ANTHONY D

REHEARING

DENIED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2127 Ex Parte Ferren et al 10909132 - (D) EVANS 102 IV - SUITER SWANTZ PC LLO RAO, SHEELA S

REEXAMINATION

REVERSED
Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2838 VICOR CORPORATION Requester v. SYNQOR, INC. Patent Owner and Appellant Ex Parte 7,564,702 et al 11/901,263 95001853 - (D) MOORE 103 GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C. Third Party Requester: Turner Boyd, LLP HEYMAN, JOHN S original NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN

REHEARING

DENIED
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3714 HASBRO, INC., Requester, v. GANZ, Patent Owner. Ex Parte 7,677,948 B2 et al 11/027,880 95001341 - (D) SIU 103 Pearne & Gordon LLP for THIRD PARTY REQUESTER: PERKINS COIE L.L.P. KISS, ERIC B original AHMED, MASUD

king, ngai, gulack

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2198 Ex Parte MALCOLM 12040047 - (D) KHAN 102 LOWENSTEIN SANDLER LLP KABIR, MOHAMMAD H

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2489 Ex Parte Yang et al 11140833 - (D) STRAUSS 103 Foley & Lardner LLP/ Broadcom Corporation PHILIPPE, GIMS S

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3662 Ex Parte Tava et al 12578405 - (D) GEIER 103 CROWELL & MORING LLP TO, TUAN C

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3742 Ex Parte LOVELESS et al 11833986 - (D) HORNER 103 INDEL, INC. VAN, QUANG T

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3729 Ex Parte Cherney et al 12262721 - (D) CAPP 103 103 DEERE & COMPANY PHAN, THIEM D

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2451 Ex Parte Moore et al 11849507 - (D) MEDLOCK 103 Edell Shapiro & Finnan, LLC PATEL, DHAIRYA A

The rationale underlying the "printed matter" cases has been extended to the analysis of patentability of method claims.  King Pharms. Inc. v. Eon Labs, Inc., 616 F.3d 1267, 1278-79 (Fed, Cir. 2010) (applying the "printed matter" reasoning to method claims containing an "informing" step that could be either printed or verbal instructions).  In this case, the relevant inquiry is whether the recitation that the event statement conforms to the structure, " was seen to with ," as opposed to some other format structire, has a "new and unobvious functional relationship" with the method.  Id. at 1279.

There is no objective evidence of record that there is a functional relationship between the format structure of the event statement and the claimed method.  Indeed, the only mention in claim 1 of the event statement is in the final "wherein clause", i.e., "wherein the generated metadata is converted to an event."

Regardless of the format of the event statement, the underlying method recited in claim 1 is the same.  The specific format structure of the event statement does not depend on the method, and the method does not depend on the format of the structure of the event statement.  As such, it constitutes non-functional descriptive material that may not be relied on for patentability.  See In re Ngai, 367 F.3d 1336, 1339 (Fed. Cir. 2004); cf. In re Gulack, 703 F.2d 1381, 1385 (Fed. Cir 1983) (when descriptive material is not functionally related to the substrate, the descriptive material will not distinguish the invention from the prior art in terms of patentability).

King Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. Eon Labs Inc., 616 F.3d 1267, 95 USPQ2d 1833 (Fed. Cir. 2010) 2111.05

Ngai, In re, 367 F.3d 1336, 70 USPQ2d 1862 (Fed. Cir. 2004) 2112.01

Gulack, In re, 703 F.2d 1381, 217 USPQ 401 (Fed. Cir. 1983) 2112.01

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3744 Ex Parte Howard 11716493 - (D) BAHR 103 PRAXAIR, INC. PETTITT, JOHN F

REHEARING

DENIED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2135 Ex Parte Lubbers et al 11771980 - (D) STEPHENS 103 Hall Estill Attorneys at Law (Seagate - MKM) RIGOL, YAIMA