roberts, michlin

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1639 Ex Parte Kuypers et al 13224064 - (D) GRIMES 103 Stevens Law Group DINES, KARLA A

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2457 Ex Parte Senderek et al 14481783 - (D) LENTIVECH 101/103 Keller Jolley Preece / Dropbox VANG, MENG

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2625 Ex Parte Uchino et al 14087335 - (D) DIXON 103/OTDP MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP (DC) ENGLISH, ALECIA DIANE

2651 Ex Parte ADAMS et al 13779314 - (D) HOFF 103 SCHWEGMAN LUNDBERG & WOESSNER, P.A. MOHAMMED, ASSAD

2688 Ex Parte MATSUMOTO et al 14705684 - (D) HOFF 103 PATTERSON & SHERIDAN, L.L.P. / HGST BUTCHER, BRIAN M

2692 Ex Parte Gustafsson et al 13427118 - (D) KUMAR 102/103 MILLER, MATTHIAS & HULL LLP MCLOONE, PETER D

2834 Ex Parte Wolf et al 13520332 - (D) PRAISS 103 MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP (Bosch) GONZALEZ QUINONES, JOSE A

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3631 Ex Parte Zelek et al 14338437 - (D) PLENZLER 102/103 41.50 103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C. KRYCINSKI, STANTONL

3676 Ex Parte Smith 13652137 - (D) ENGELS 103 PATTERSON & SHERIDAN, L.L.P. /Weatherford SEBESTA, CHRISTOPHER J

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3742 Ex Parte Alaman Aguilar et al 14037736 - (D) PESLAK 103 BSH Home Appliances Corporation MAYE, AYUB A

3746 Ex Parte Turek 13483239 - (D) KERINS 102/103 REINHART BOERNER VAN DEUREN P.C. OMGBA, ESSAMA

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1761 Ex Parte FRANKENBACH et al 13944905 - (D) McMANUS 103 103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY KHAN, AMINA S

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2864 Ex Parte Shah et al 13554115 - (D) TIMM 102 102 Patterson & Sheridan, L.L.P. Qualcomm BLOSS, STEPHANIE E

An inventor of a structure (machine or article of manufacture) is entitled to benefit from all of its uses, even those not described, Roberts v. Ryer, 91 U.S. 150, 157 (1875), and conversely, patentability of the structure cannot tum on the use or function of the structure. In re Michlin, 256 F .2d 317, 320 (CCPA 1958) ("It is well settled that patentability of apparatus claims must depend upon structural limitations and not upon statements of function."). 

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3663 Ex Parte Mills 14552456 - (D) BAHR 103 103 Bejin Bieneman PLC Ford Global Technologies, LLC TISSOT, ADAM D

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3762 Ex Parte Barman et al 13458877 - (D) KATZ 112(2) 102/103 MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. PORTER, JR, GARY A

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1618 Ex Parte BREYFOGLE 13744708 - (D) SCHNEIDER 103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY YOUNG, MICAH PAUL

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1722 Ex Parte Adlem et al 14403201 - (D) PRAISS 102/103/OTDP MILLEN, WHITE, ZELANO & BRANIGAN, P.C. ROBINSON, CHANCEITY N

1777 Ex Parte Cormier 13519798 - (D) DELMENDO 103 WATERS TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION c/o Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP PEO, KARA M

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2152 Ex Parte Helfman et al 12831615 - (D) DIXON 103 112(1)/112(2) Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP/Oracle CONYERS, DAW AUNE A

2175 Ex Parte Leonard et al 13224258 - (D) HAGY 102 Newport IP, LLC PARKER, JEANETTE J

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2438 Ex Parte Michiels et al 14176938 - (D) SMITH dissenting WINSOR 101 Rimon, P.C. PLECHA, THADDEUS J

2469 Ex Parte Kaminsky et al 15052316 - (D) BEAMER 103 Cuenot, Forsythe & Kim, LLC NGUYEN, THAI

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2618 Ex Parte KONG et al 13659802 - (D) KUMAR 103 Artegis Law Group, LLP/NVIDIA VU, KHOA

2693 Ex Parte Inamoto et al 14124955 - (D) SAADAT 103 Paratus Law Group, PLLC MICHAUD, ROBERT J

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2862 Ex Parte Weitzman 11845677 - (D) RANGE 101 MURABITO, HAO & BARNES LLP NGON, RICKY

2875 Ex Parte MORI et al 14593899 - (D) DELMENDO 103 MCGINN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW GROUP, PLLC ENDO, JAMES M

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3628 Ex Parte Arunapuram 13207758 - (D) DIXON 101 Potomac Law Group, PLLC (Oracle International) ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE

3629 Ex Parte Klemm et al 13789160 - (D) CRAIG 112(1)/103 101 ServiceNow c/o Fletcher Yoder PC BAHL, SANGEETA

3646 Ex Parte Michalski 11918855 - (D) STEPHENS 103 BACON & THOMAS, PLLC BARKER, MATTHEW M

3663 Ex Parte SUNG et al 14692162 - (D) CALVE 101/103 THE FARRELL LAW FIRM, P.C. EVANS, GARRETT F

3683 Ex Parte Phelan et al 13358440 - (D) HUME 101/102 Billion & Armitage - Digital River KARMIS, ALISSA D

3689 Ex Parte Tuchman et al 13085399 - (D) POTHIER 112(2)/103 101/103 WOMBLE BOND DICKINSON (US) LLP SANTOS-DIAZ, MARIA C

3693 Ex Parte Considine 12725204 - (D) SAADAT 101 FORTKORT & HOUSTON P.C. LEMIEUX, JESSICA

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3711 Ex Parte Ward 14662118 - (D) WARNER 101/102 Lonnie Ward III GLENN, CHRISTOPHER A

3717 Ex Parte Davenport 13269603 - (D) STAICOVICI 103 WHITEFORD, TAYLOR & PRESTON, LLP WEATHERFORD, SYVILA

3788 Ex Parte Cataudella et al 14660973 - (D) CAPP 103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY The Gillette Company LLC GRANO, ERNESTO ARTURIO

hewlett-packard, roberts, michlin

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3655 Ex Parte LIANG et al 14103882 - (D) YAP 103 BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C./FGTL DANG, TINH

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3736 Ex Parte Toth 13945244 - (D) MURPHY 103 WILSON, SONSINI, GOODRICH & ROSATI HOEKSTRA, JEFFREY GERBEN

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1787 Ex Parte Woychik et al 12061141 - (D) KRATZ 112(1)/102 112(2) GE GLOBAL PATENT OPERATION ROBINSON, ELIZABETH A

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1711 Ex Parte Grunert 12532203 - (D) ROSS 103 NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC CORMIER, DAVID G

We are not persuaded by Appellant’s argument and concur with the Examiner that the “configured to dispense the water . . . onto the component at a flow rate sufficient to clean accumulated contaminants off of the component” language of claim 30 is an intended use. Non-Final 5. It has long been held that “apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does.”Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1468 (Fed. Cir. 1990). An inventor of a structure (machine or article of manufacture) is entitled to benefit from all of its uses, even those not described,Roberts v. Ryer, 91 U.S. 150, 157 (1875), and conversely, patentability of the structure cannot turn on the use or function of the structure,In re Michlin, 256 F.2d 317, 320 (CCPA 1958).

Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 15 USPQ2d 1525 (Fed. Cir. 1990) 2114

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3638 Ex Parte Avis 14032307 - (D) YAP 103 Carstens & Cahoon, LLP KIM, SHIN H

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3731 Ex Parte Bennett 12573176 - (D) O’HANLON 102/103 Covidien LP OU, JING RUI

3731 Ex Parte Collins et al 10986143 - (D) MILLS 102/103 LAW OFFICE OF LOUIS WOO MENDOZA, MICHAEL G

catalina, superior industries, hewlett-packard, roberts, paragon

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2667 Ex Parte Ohi 12519152 - (D) WINSOR 102/103 Cheng Law Group, PLLC YANG, WEI WEN

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3722 Ex Parte Memmolo et al 10575988 - (D) SCHOPFER 103 SCULLY, SCOTT, MURPHY & PRESSER, P.C. SINGH, SUNIL K

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2443 Ex Parte Vasisht 10740762 - (D) HUME 103 103 NELSON MULLINS RILEY & SCARBOROUGH LLP MIRZA, ADNAN M

Our reviewing court guides that the patentability of an apparatus claim "depends on the claimed structure, not on the use or purpose of that structure." Catalina Marketing Int'l. Inc. v. Coolsavings.com, Inc., 289 F.3d 801, 809 (Fed. Cir. 2002); see also Superior Industries, Inc. v. Masaba, Inc., 553 Fed.Appx. 986, 991 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (Rader, J., concurring) which guides:

[A] system claim generally covers what the system is, not what the system does. Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1468 (Fed. Cir. 1990); see also Roberts v. Ryer, 91 U.S. 150, 157 [] (1875) ("The inventor of a machine is entitled to the benefit of all the uses to which it can be put, no matter whether he had conceived the idea of the use or not.") Thus, it is usually improper to construe non-functional claim terms in system claims in a way that makes infringement or validity turn on their function. Paragon Solutions, LLC v. Timex Corp., 566 F.3d 1075, 1091 (Fed. Cir. 2009) [5]

5 Superior Industries is a non-precedential opinion of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. However, we consider the concurring opinion by former Chief Judge Rader as guiding because it cites precedential authority in support.

Catalina Mktg. Int’l v. Coolsavings.com, Inc., 289 F.3d 801, 62 USPQ2d 1781(Fed. Cir. 2002) 2111.02

Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 15 USPQ2d 1525 (Fed. Cir. 1990) 2114

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1637 Ex Parte Reynolds 12297327 - (D) ADAMS 103 SIEMENS CORPORATION TUNG, JOYCE

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1793 Ex Parte Hansa et al 13130207 - (D) HEANEY 103 Carstens & Cahoon, LLP TRAN, LIEN THUY

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2457 Ex Parte Doyle et al 12828245 - (D) THOMAS 101/103 CRGO LAW STEVEN M. GREENBERG KIM, HEE SOO

2493 Ex Parte BALLARD 12350881 - (D) BEAMER 103 VERIZON LESNIEWSKI, VICTOR D

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2642 Ex Parte Schaepperle et al 12323864 - (D) BARRY 103 FAY SHARPE/LUCENT KHAN, SUHAIL

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3628 Ex Parte Kwit 11365042 - (D) MOHANTY 103 MCAFEE & TAFT CHEN, GEORGE YUNG CHIEH

REHEARING

DENIED
Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2881 Ex Parte Hoyes 11996236 - (D) SMITH 102/103 Diederiks & Whitelaw, PLC IPPOLITO, NICOLE MARIE

mayne, catalina, superior industries, hewlett-packard, roberts, paragon, texas instruments

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2899 Ex Parte Sonsky 12065622 - (D) TIMM 102 NXP B.V. Intellectual Property and Licensing YEUNG LOPEZ, FEIFEI

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1616 Ex Parte Eaton 11145716 - (D) GREEN 102/103 102/103 CARSTENS & CAHOON, LLP SCHLIENTZ, NATHAN W

This appeal is before us on remand from our reviewing court, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In re Eaton, 545 Fed. Appx. 994 (Fed. Cir. 2013) (non-precedential).

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3677 Ex Parte Bowden et al 12036369 - (D) ASTORINO 102 102/103 Carlson, Gaskey & Olds/Masco Corporation BATSON, VICTOR D

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1718 Ex Parte Schlichting et al 13048966 - (D) DELMENDO 103 Bachman & LaPointe, P.C. BAREFORD, KATHERINE A

Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect that such structurally similar zirconia-based coatings would likewise share other similar properties, such as abradability. In re Mayne, 104 F.3d 1339, 1343 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (“Structural relationships often provide the requisite motivation to modify known compounds to obtain new compounds.”).

Mayne, In re, 104 F.3d 1339, 41 USPQ2d 1451 (Fed. Cir. 1977) 2144.09 , 2145

1723 Ex Parte Yoshioka 12458537 - (D) HOUSEL 102 WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P. D'ANIELLO, NICHOLAS P

1755 Ex Parte Li et al 12100131 - (D) OWENS 103 SLATER & MATSIL, L.L.P. PILLAY, DEVINA

1766 Ex Parte Sherman et al 11821568 - (D) McKELVEY 103 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY LOEWE, ROBERT S

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2191 Ex Parte Goyal et al 11953652 - (D) ENGELS 103 CRGO LAW STEVEN M. GREENBERG ZHEN, WEI Y

Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2455 Ex Parte Wen et al 12141054 - (D) KAISER 103 NORTH AMERICA INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION MURPHY, CHARLES C

2461 Ex Parte Ross et al 11958272 - (D) DANG 103 BGL/Broadcom CLAWSON, STEPHEN J

Our reviewing court guides the patentability of an apparatus/system claim “depends on the claimed structure, not on the use or purpose of that structure.” Catalina Marketing Int’l, Inc. v. Coolsavings.com, Inc., 289 F.3d 801, 809 (Fed. Cir. 2002); see also Superior Industries, Inc. v. Masaba, Inc., 553 Fed. Appx. 986, 991 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (Rader, J., concurring):

[A] system claim generally covers what the system is, not what the system does. Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1468 (Fed. Cir. 1990); see also Roberts v. Ryer, 91 U.S. 150, 157 [] (1875) (“The inventor of a machine is entitled to the benefit of all the uses to which it can be put, no matter whether he had conceived the idea of the use or not.”). Thus, it is usually improper to construe non-functional claim terms in system claims in a way that makes infringement or validity turn on their function. Paragon Solutions, LLC v.Timex Corp., 566 F.3d 1075, 1091 (Fed. Cir. 2009).

Catalina Mktg. Int’l v. Coolsavings.com, Inc., 289 F.3d 801, 62 USPQ2d 1781(Fed. Cir. 2002) 2111.02

Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 15 USPQ2d 1525 (Fed. Cir. 1990) 2114

...
That is, as discussed above, claim 1 merely requires forming a “controller” intended “for detecting” and “appending” markers to each stream “thereby resulting in a modified” stream. That is, a “modified” stream is provided in a “thereby” clause describing the results of the intended “appending” function to be performed by a “controller” in the claimed “circuit.”

Given the language used, the “thereby” clause is reasonably interpreted to identify the intended result if and when a controller within the claimed circuit performs its intended function of “appending” markers to each elementary stream. Thus, the “thereby” clause at issue is akin to a “whereby” clause that merely states an intended result. Our reviewing court has concluded that “[a] ‘whereby’ clause that merely states the result of the limitations in the claim adds nothing to the patentability or substance of the claim.” Texas Instruments Inc. v. U.S. Int’l Trade Comm’n, 988 F.2d 1165, 1172 (Fed. Cir. 1993) (citation omitted). Accordingly, we will not read a “modifying” step into the circuit of claim 1.

Texas Instruments, Inc. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n, 988 F.2d 1165, 26 USPQ2d 1018 (Fed. Cir. 1993) 716.04

2481 Ex Parte Marsh et al 11843049 - (D) THOMAS 102/103 Otterstedt, Ellenbogen & Kammer, LLP TOPGYAL, GELEK W

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2641 Ex Parte Darby et al 12964962 - (D) FINK 102/103 TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED C/O WAGNER BLECHER HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2891 Ex Parte Kosowsky 12832022 - (D) PER CURIAM 103 KACVINSKY DAISAK BLUNI PLLC (1511) YANG, MINCHUL

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3742 Ex Parte Luthardt et al 10588335 - (D) STAICOVICI 103 41.50 103 VENABLE LLP MAYE, AYUB A

deere, innova, hewlett-packard, roberts, paragon

custom search

REVERSED
Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2894 Ex Parte Shim et al 11336110 - (D) WARREN 102/103 CANTOR COLBURN LLP TRAN, TONY

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3777 Ex Parte Park et al 11508300 - (D) ADAMS 103 103 MOORE & VAN ALLEN PLLC LUONG, PETER

AFFIRMED 
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1735 Ex Parte Hashimoto et al 12516092 - (D) KOKOSKI 103 WESTERMAN, HATTORI, DANIELS & ADRIAN, LLP PATEL, DEVANG R

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2187 Ex Parte LUBBERS et al 11771411 - (D) COURTENAY 112(1)/112(2) 102/103 McCarthy Law Group PARIKH, KALPIT

2194 Ex Parte Gikas et al 11311759 - (D) STRAUSS 112(1) 103 SIEMENS CORPORATION KRAFT, SHIH-WEI

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2651 Ex Parte Zhu et al 11113852 - (D) JENKS 103 ADDMG - BlackBerry BLAIR, KILE O

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2872 Ex Parte Hyde et al 12584791 - (D) BEST 102/103 THE INVENTION SCIENCE FUND CLARENCE T. TEGREENE ALLEN, STEPHONEB

REEXAMINATION

AFFIRMED 
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3751 PLAS-PAK INDUSTRIES, INC. Requester, Appellant v. SULZER MIXPAC AG Patent Owner, Respondent 95001656 7815384 11/563,791 SONG 103 K&L Gates LLP Third Party Requester: CANTOR COLBURN LLP LEWIS, AARON J original WALCZAK, DAVID J

DENIED 
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3751 PLAS-PAK INDUSTRIES, INC., Requester, Appellant v. RICHARD PARKS CORROSION TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Patent Owner, Respondent 95001371 7,144,170 11/003,449 KERINS 103 K&L Gates LLP LEWIS, AARON J original WALCZAK, DAVID J

FEDERAL CIRCUIT

VACATED AND REMANDED
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3672 SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES, INC., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. MASABA, INC., Defendant-Appellee 2013-1302 7,470,101 11/975,205 7,618,213 11/631,975 CLEVENGER concurring RADER SJ non-infringement claim construction Dicke, Billig & Czaja, PLLC; Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith, P.C. FOX, CHARLES A; LAGMAN, FREDERICK LYNDON

First, in claim construction, one must not import limitations from the specification that are not part of the claim. Deere & Co. v. Bush Hog, LLC, 703 F.3d 1349, 1354 (Fed. Cir. 2012). Indeed, claims generally are not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed in the specification, even where only a single embodiment is disclosed. Innova/Pure Water, Inc. v. Safari Water Filtration Sys., Inc., 381 F.3d 1111, 1117 (Fed. Cir. 2004). Second, and relevant to this case, a system claim generally covers what the system is, not what the system does. Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1468 (Fed. Cir. 1990); see also Roberts v. Ryer, 91 U.S. 150, 157 (1875) (“The inventor of a machine is entitled to the benefit of all the uses to which it can be put, no matter whether he had conceived the idea of the use or not.”). Thus, it is usually improper to construe non-functional claim terms in system claims in a way that makes infringement or validity turn on their function. Paragon Solutions, LLC v. Timex Corp., 566 F.3d 1075, 1091 (Fed. Cir. 2009).

Innova/Pure Water Inc. v. Safari Water Filtration Sys. Inc., 381 F.3d 1111, 72 USPQ2d 1001 (Fed. Cir. 2004)  2173.05(g)
DONNER 10: 675-83
HARMON 6: 118, 121, 158, 169, 327; 10: 348

Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 15 USPQ2d 1525 (Fed. Cir. 1990) 2114
DONNER 14: 89, 175, 217
HARMON 1: 172; 4: 205; 7: 241, 278

paragon HARMON 6: 71, 169c, 188, 450