- PPC Broadband, Inc. v. Times Fiber Communications, Inc.Institution deniedPTAB · Oct 24, 2022 · IPR2022-00830 · APJ Frances L Ippolito · IPR · Institution
The Board denied institution of IPR on claims 1–14 and 16–21 because the Patent Owner effectively disclaimed all challenged claims.
RulingsInstitution decision- Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentDenied
“conclude a disclaimer of claims 1–14 and 16–21 of the ’632 Patent, under 35 U.S.C. § 253(a) has been recorded in the Office as of July 28, 2022. Ex. 2002. Vectra Fitness, Inc., 162 F.3d at 1382. The record shows that a completed Form PTO/SB/43 (“DISCLAIMER IN PATENT UNDER 37 CFR 1.321(a)”) was filed and received by the Office on that date. See Ex. 2002. The disclaimer form was signed by Lance D’Armico, Secretary for Patent Owner Times Fiber Communications, Inc. See Ex. 2002, 3; see also Ex. 2001 (recorded assignment of the challenged patent from Amphenol Corporation to Times Fiber Communications, Inc., executed on December 23, 2021). The form identifies Patent Owner as having a “100% Ownership Interest” in the ’632 Patent, and identifies claims 1–14 and 16– 21 as being disclaimed. See Ex. 2002, 3. The evidence also reflects payment of the required fee. See id. at 1, 4–5. We determine Patent Owner has met the requirements for an effective disclaimer under 35 U.S.C. § 253 and 37 C.F.R. § 1.321(a). In view of this disclaimer, and as consistent with 37 C.F.R. § 42.107(e) and the Board’s precedential General Electric decision, we determine a denial of institution is sufficient to dispose of this case. See Gen. Elec. Co., IPR2017-00491, Paper 9. Thus, we decline to institute an inter partes review.” slip op. at 4
Discretionary denialPatents in suitUS 10,913,632 - Apple Inc. v. Memoryweb, LLCInstitution deniedPTAB · Jun 10, 2022 · IPR2022-00111 · APJ Jason M Repko · IPR · Institution
The Board denied institution because the patent was likely subject to the AIA’s nine-month IPR waiting period, and the petition was filed less than six months after grant.
RulingsInstitution decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)Institution denied time barInstitution denied
“A petition for inter partes review shall be filed after the later of either—(1) the date that is 9 months after the grant of a patent; or (2) if a post-grant review is instituted under chapter 32, the date of the termination of such post-grant review.” 35 U.S.C. § 311(c). Similarly, our rules require that, for patents described in section 3(n)(1) of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, Pub. L. No. 112–29, 125 Stat. 284 (Sept. 16, 2011) (“AIA”), a petition for inter partes review must be filed no earlier than nine months after the date of the grant of the patent. 37 C.F.R. § 42.102(a)(1). Patents subject to the AIA first-inventor-to file provisions are those that issue from applications “that contain or contained at any time— (A) a claim to a claimed invention that has an effective filing date as defined in section 100(i) of title 35, United States Code, that is on or after [March 16, 2013]; or (B) a specific reference under section 120, 121, or 365(c) of title 35, United States Code, to any patent or application that contains or contained at any time such a claim. AIA § 3(n)(1). slip op. at 6
Discretionary denialPatents in suitUS 11,017,020 - Microsoft Corporation v. Science Applications International CorporationInstitution deniedPTAB · Feb 3, 2020 · IPR2019-01311 · APJ Jason M Repko · IPR · Institution
The Board denied the petitions because the government was Microsoft's privy and had been served with infringement complaints more than one year before filing; it also denied review under § 314(a).
RulingsInstitution decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Real party in interest / privityRpi dispute resolved for patent ownerDecided for patent owner
“The evidence here shows that the government and Petitioner share such interests. Before requesting inter partes review, the government had a preexisting, established relationship with Petitioner. In particular, Patent Owner has an ongoing infringement lawsuit against the government in the Court of Federal Claims. Pet. 3 (citing Ex. 1025, (“the Complaint”)). Petitioner entered into the Contract with the government to develop a system incorporating the allegedly infringing feature. Id. Therefore, both Petitioner and the government share a common interest in canceling the allegedly infringed claims.” slip op. at 7
- PTAB / AIA Trials › §315(b) time barInstitution denied time barDenied
“existing substantive legal relationship. This provides at least one ground of nonparty preclusion under Taylor. We further determine, as discussed below, that two other Taylor factors support our privity determination. 2. “where special statutory schemes foreclose successive litigation by the nonparty” A special statutory scheme applies here under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b), which bars institution of an IPR if a “privy of the petitioner is served with a complaint alleging infringement of the patent” more than one year before the petition was filed. Moreover, we note that the government, according to a recent Supreme Court case, is not a “person” that can file a Petition for inter partes review under 35 U.S.C. § 311. Return Mail, Inc. v. United States Postal Service, 139 S. Ct. 1853 (2019). Thus, Petitioner’s filings are the only filed Petitions from which the government could benefit, because the government could not file its own petition in light of the June 10, 2019, Return Mail decision.” slip op. at 11
- Other 314aInstitution denied discretionary otherDenied
“D. DISCRETIONARY DENIAL UNDER SECTION 314(A) Institution of inter partes review is discretionary. 35 U.S.C. § 314(a); SAS Inst. Inc. v. Iancu, 138 S. Ct. 1348, 1356 (2018) (“[Section] 314(a) invests the Director with discretion on the question whether to institute review . . . .” (emphasis omitted)); Cuozzo Speed Techs., LLC v. Lee, 136 S. Ct. 2131, 2140 (2016) (“[T]he agency’s decision to deny a petition is a matter committed to the Patent Office’s discretion.”); see also 37 C.F.R. § 42.4(a) (“The Board institutes the trial on behalf of the Director.”). “[T]he PTO is permitted, but never compelled, to institute an IPR proceeding.” Harmonic Inc. v. Avid Tech., Inc., 815 F.3d 1356, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2016). Even if Petitioner and the government were not in privity, we would exercise our discretion to deny review to avoid any concerns that the government is obtaining a benefit to which it is not permitted under Return Mail.” slip op. at 13
- ExcludeGranted
“All papers are available for public access by default. See 35 U.S.C. § 316(a)(1). A party may file a concurrent motion to seal, and the information at issue is sealed pending the motion’s outcome. 37 C.F.R. § 42.54. The standard for granting a motion to seal is “for good cause.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.54(a). For instance, we consider whether the movant has adequately shown that (1) the information sought to be sealed is truly confidential, (2) a concrete harm would result upon public disclosure, (3) there exists a genuine need to rely in the trial on the specific information sought to be sealed, and (4) on balance, an interest in maintaining confidentiality outweighs the strong public interest in having an open record.” slip op. at 14
Discretionary denialPatents in suitUS 7,787,012 - PNC Bank, Na / Suntrust Bank v. Parus Holdings, Inc.Institution deniedPTAB · Nov 9, 2015 · CBM2015-00150 · APJ Bart A Gerstenblith · CBM · Institution
The Board denied institution for claims 1–18 because Petitioner did not show that the patent was eligible for covered business method review.
RulingsInstitution decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)Institution denied meritsInstitution denied
“for the creation of a transitional program for reviewing covered business method patents. “The Director may institute a transitional proceeding only for a patent that is a covered business method patent.” Pub. L. No. 112-29, § 18(a)(1)(E), 125 Stat. 284, 330 (Sept. 16, 2011). A “covered business method patent” is a patent that “claims a method or corresponding apparatus for performing data processing or other operations used in the practice, administration, or management of a financial product or service, except that the term does not include patents for technological inventions.” Id. § 18(d)(1), 125 Stat. at 331; accord 37 C.F.R. § 42.301(a) (providing the same definition of “covered business method patent”). “The petitioner must demonstrate that the patent for which review is sought is a covered business method patent.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.304(a).” slip op. at 9
- PTAB / AIA Trials › Other PTAB motions (exclude, strike, seal, additional discovery, rehearing)Denied
“discussed above, a teleconference was held with the parties on November 5, 2015. Petitioner and Patent Owner jointly request authorization to file a motion for termination under 35 U.S.C. § 327, the statute governing termination of instituted post-grant reviews due to settlement, but confirmed during the call that no written settlement agreement currently exists. The parties request that the proceedings terminate without estoppel, such that Petitioner can re-file the petitions upon completion of Federal Circuit review of the District Court’s ineligibility determination, if necessary. Patent Owner limits its agreement to Petitioner re-filing the same petitions. Effectively, the parties request that we stay these proceedings pending Federal Circuit review of the District Court’s decision. We deny the parties’ request. As explained below, the ’120 patent is not eligible for covered business method patent review. Deferring entering such a decision is inconsistent with our policy objective of “secur[ing] the just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of every proceeding.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.1. We do not reach, and, thus, express no opinion on, eligibility of the claims of the ’120 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 101.” slip op. at 3
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededOther
“II. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION Although Petitioner presents constructions for several claim terms, no terms require express construction for purposes of this Decision.” slip op. at 9
Claim constructionDiscretionary denialPatents in suitUS 8,843,120 - PNC Bank, Na / Suntrust Bank v. Parus Holdings, Inc.Institution deniedPTAB · Nov 9, 2015 · CBM2015-00110 · APJ Bart A Gerstenblith · CBM · Institution
The Board denied both petitions and did not institute CBM review of claims 1–18 because Petitioner did not show the patent was eligible for CBM review.
RulingsInstitution decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)Institution denied meritsInstitution denied
“On this record, Petitioner has not introduced persuasive evidence to show that at least one claim of the ’120 patent claims a method or corresponding apparatus for performing data processing or other operations used in the practice, administration, or management of a financial product or service. Accordingly, Petitioner has not met its burden of demonstrating that the ’120 patent is eligible for covered business method patent review.” slip op. at 19
Discretionary denialPatents in suitUS 8,843,120
Holdings, summaries, rulings, issues, outcomes, winners and claim constructions shown for a decision were generated by a large language model reading the opinion. They are a guide to the decision, not the decision. Confirm every one against the court's own text before relying on it. Outcomes read from the patent owner’s side. Party names are extracted from the decision and are missing on about 900 short Director denials and scans, which carry the trial number instead.