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  • PTAB · Sep 2, 2026 · PGR2026-00032 · APJ John A Squires · PGR · Order

    The Director granted institution of PGR2026-00032 after finding the petition showed the required likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim.

    RulingsOther
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted

      “Pursuant 35 U.S.C. §§ 314(a) and 324(a), after review of the merits, the petitioner has shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one of the claims challenged in the petition, or that it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable, as appropriate, and no other non-discretionary considerations warrant denial of institution. Accordingly, institution of inter partes review and post-grant review is granted in the following proceedings: IPR2026-00271 IPR2026-00274 PGR2026-00032 IPR2026-00272 IPR2026-00275 PGR2026-00033 IPR2026-00273 IPR2026-00326” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 12,412,561
  • Ipr2026-00326Instituted
    PTAB · Sep 2, 2026 · IPR2026-00326 · APJ John A Squires · IPR · Institution

    The Director granted institution of IPR2026-00326 after finding the petition showed a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim.

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted

      “Pursuant 35 U.S.C. §§ 314(a) and 324(a), after review of the merits, the petitioner has shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one of the claims challenged in the petition, or that it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable, as appropriate, and no other non-discretionary considerations warrant denial of institution. Accordingly, institution of inter partes review and post-grant review is granted in the following proceedings:” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 12,301,628
  • Ipr2026-00275Instituted
    PTAB · Sep 2, 2026 · IPR2026-00275 · APJ John A Squires · IPR · Institution

    The Director granted institution of IPR2026-00275.

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted

      “the petitioner has shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one of the claims challenged in the petition, or that it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable, as appropriate, and no other non-discretionary considerations warrant denial of institution. Accordingly, institution of inter partes review and post-grant review is granted in the following proceedings:” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 11,715,457
  • Ipr2026-00274Instituted
    PTAB · Sep 2, 2026 · IPR2026-00274 · APJ John A Squires · IPR · Institution

    The Director granted institution of IPR2026-00274 after finding the petition showed a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim.

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted

      “the petitioner has shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one of the claims challenged in the petition, or that it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable, as appropriate, and no other non-discretionary considerations warrant denial of institution. Accordingly, institution of inter partes review and post-grant review is granted in the following proceedings:” slip op. at 2

    None
  • PTAB · Sep 2, 2026 · IPR2026-00273 · APJ John A Squires · IPR · Order

    Institution of IPR2026-00273 is granted after the petitioner showed a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim, with no other nondiscretionary reason to deny institution.

    RulingsOther
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted

      “Pursuant 35 U.S.C. §§ 314(a) and 324(a), after review of the merits, the petitioner has shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one of the claims challenged in the petition, or that it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable, as appropriate, and no other non-discretionary considerations warrant denial of institution. Accordingly, institution of inter partes review and post-grant review is granted in the following proceedings:” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 12,125,496
  • Ipr2026-00272Instituted
    PTAB · Sep 2, 2026 · IPR2026-00272 · APJ John A Squires · IPR · Institution

    Institution of IPR2026-00272 is granted because the petitioner showed a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim.

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted

      “Pursuant 35 U.S.C. §§ 314(a) and 324(a), after review of the merits, the petitioner has shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one of the claims challenged in the petition, or that it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable, as appropriate, and no other non-discretionary considerations warrant denial of institution. Accordingly, institution of inter partes review and post-grant review is granted in the following proceedings:” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 11,948,550
  • Ipr2026-00271Instituted
    PTAB · Sep 2, 2026 · IPR2026-00271 · APJ John A Squires · IPR · Institution

    Institution of IPR2026-00271 was granted because the petitioner showed a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim.

    RulingsInstitution decision
    • PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted

      “Pursuant 35 U.S.C. §§ 314(a) and 324(a), after review of the merits, the petitioner has shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one of the claims challenged in the petition, or that it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable, as appropriate, and no other non-discretionary considerations warrant denial of institution. Accordingly, institution of inter partes review and post-grant review is granted in the following proceedings: IPR2026-00271 IPR2026-00274 PGR2026-00032 IPR2026-00272 IPR2026-00275 PGR2026-00033 IPR2026-00273 IPR2026-00326” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 9,491,564
  • PTAB · Sep 1, 2026 · IPR2023-00247 · APJ Michael T Cygan · IPR · Remand

    Claim 15 was not shown unpatentable over Rothschild alone or Rothschild and Chen because Petitioner did not sufficiently explain or support how the IM modality generates the claimed hot link.

    RulingsRemand decision
    • BurdenNot shown unpatentable

      “disclaim HTML-formatted advertisements in IM,” and that there is no evidence or expert testimony that IM messages are incompatible with HTML tags. Pet. Remand Reply 4–7 (also stating, “nor did Patent Owner contest the Petition’s showing with respect to the IM limitation of claim 15”). However, in inter partes review, the burden is on Petitioner to explain and support its assertions; it is not on Patent Owner to prove that its claims are not unpatentable. In re Magnum Oil Tools, 829 F.3d at 1375; PO Remand Resp. 5. Petitioner must explain how Rothschild teaches generating a hot link message, in an instant message communication, that includes the determined action and instructions for rendering and displaying the hot link. Petitioner’s reliance on a list of communication types is insufficient because although personal communications are sent “with” an advertisement, not all members of that list (e.g., SMS) generate a hot link message having the claimed instructions in the manner (formatting) asserted by Petitioner. Ex. 1005, 8:3–6; Ex. 2009 ¶ 64.” slip op. at 12

    • Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successNot shown unpatentableMotivation not foundNot shown unpatentable

      “link message by IM is that Rothschild states that “a personal communication can include, but is not limited to, an e-mail message, text message, short message service (SMS) message, chat-room message, instant messaging message, video message, voice message, and any other personalized network communications.” Pet. 40 (quoting Ex. 1005, 8:6–11); Pet. Remand Reply 2, 5–6 (arguing that this is unrebutted by Patent Owner). Such an explanation would be sufficient if each of those communications were shown to work in the same manner as email, such that no further explanation would be required to show that one having ordinary skill in the art would understand how Petitioner’s email and HTML tag explanations applied to each of the other message types. formatting step, which is required under Petitioner’s assertions for limitation [10.7]. Ex. 2009 ¶¶57 (citing Ex. 1005, Fig. 10), 60 (citing Ex. 1005, Fig. 11), 64 (“[t]here is no formatting step for the SMS message, only for e-mail.”), 76 (“SMS messages . . . do not use HTML”); PO Sur-reply 27. Nor does Petitioner assert or explain that IM messages are formatted so as to teach the generating step of limitation [1.4]/[10.7]. Pet. 32 (“Rothschild’s server generates a hot link message when the web server formats the message data into an e-mail that contains the selected interactive advertisement.”). Because Petitioner’s “generating a hot link” assertions rely on the use of HTML (in email), and one of Rothschild’s listed communication types (SMS) does not use HTML, Petitioner fails to show persuasively that an artisan of ordinary skill would have interpreted each of Rothschild’s other listed types of personal communication as using HTML to generate a hot link in the claimed manner.” slip op. at 9

    • Expert testimonyPetitioner expert discountedDecided for patent owner

      “Although Dr. Houh testifies that the use of IM would have been obvious, this testimony is a verbatim copy of what the Petition says on claim 5. Compare Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 80–81, 130–31 with Pet. 41. Dr. Houh cites to Rothschild’s list of communication types, but provides no analysis or reasoning or further evidence for his obviousness conclusion in the Houh Declaration. As such, it is a bare conclusory statement entitled to little or no weight. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.65(a) (“Expert testimony that does not disclose the underlying facts or data on which the opinions is based is entitled to little or no weight.”). We further note that although Dr. Houh relies upon Rothschild’s “interactive advertisement that is displayed with a graphic and includes an embedded URL,” Dr. Houh does not explain how each of the listed communication types (which include a voice message), or IM specifically, have these properties. Ex. 1003 ¶ 58.” slip op. at 11

    Patent outcomesUS 10,869,169 not shown unpatentable
    § 103 obviousness
    Patents in suitUS 10,869,169
  • PTAB · Sep 1, 2026 · IPR2023-00220 · APJ Jo-Anne M Kokoski · IPR · Final written decision

    Claims 1–5, 7–13, and 16 are unpatentable as obvious over the asserted prior art; a separate ground was not reached because those claims were shown obvious on other grounds.

    RulingsFinal written decision
    • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for patent owner

      “had a bachelor’s degree in a pertinent discipline, such as mechanical engineering, physics, applied physics, product design, or a related field, and would also have had 2–4 years of experience working with electronic displays, including the thermal management, product design issues, and failure modes associated with such displays, or 5–7 years of experience in the field working with electronic displays and would have developed a similar understanding of thermal management, product design issues, and failure modes associated with electronic displays. Dec. 7–8. The parties’ positions have not changed from those we considered in the Institution Decision, and neither party argues that the outcome of this case would differ based on our adoption of a particular level of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, we apply the same definition in this Decision. Our determination regarding Petitioner’s challenge does not turn on the differences between Petitioner’s and Patent Owner’s proposed definitions, however, and we note that our conclusion would be the same under either definition.” slip op. at 8

    • ExcludeMotion to exclude, deniedDenied

      “new evidence filed by Patent Owner with its Sur-reply in contravention of 37 C.F.R. § 42.23(b). Paper 47, 1–5. We do not rely on either of these exhibits in rendering this Decision. Accordingly, we dismiss as moot Petitioner’s Motion to Strike.” slip op. at 73

    • Obviousness (§103) › Objective indicia / secondary considerations › NexusObjective indicia no nexusDecided for petitioner

      “that Patent Owner fails to adduce evidence showing how the claimed invention satisfied the alleged need for effective outdoor cooling. See Sjolund v. Musland, 847 F.2d 1573, 1582 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (holding that a proponent of objective evidence of long-felt need must show that “the claimed invention satisfied a long felt need”). Patent Owner states in conclusory fashion that “[d]espite the demand for outdoor displays, no one (including Samsung, despite having attempted to develop outdoor displays at least by 2005) was successful until Mr. Dunn conceived of his invention.” PO Resp. 75. Patent Owner cites no evidence for this proposition, so Patent Owner’s assertions regarding Mr. Dunn’s invention satisfying the alleged need are based on unsupported attorney argument. Accordingly, “we conclude that the nexus between the claimed invention and the purported long-felt, unmet need is too attenuated to provide a persuasive rationale for nonobviousness.” In re Karpf, 758 F. App’x 960, 965 (Fed. Cir. 2019).” slip op. at 64

    • Obviousness (§103) › Objective indicia / secondary considerationsObjective indicia outweighedDecided for petitioner

      “objective indicia of nonobviousness (i.e., secondary considerations) may lead to a conclusion that the challenged claims would not have been obvious. See, e.g., Stratoflex, Inc. v. Aeroquip Corp., 713 F.2d 1530, 1538–39 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (instructing that evidence of secondary considerations, when present, must always be considered in determining obviousness). Objective evidence of nonobviousness may include evidence of commercial success, licensing, copying, praise by others, long felt but unresolved need, and” slip op. at 58

    Patent outcomesUS 9,173,322 unpatentable
    § 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · KSR
    Patents in suitUS 9,173,322
  • PTAB · Aug 31, 2026 · IPR2023-00254 · APJ Jameson Lee · IPR · Final written decision

    Claims 1–3, 5–9, 11–13, 15–18, and 20 are unpatentable as obvious over Karppanen and over Yare.

    RulingsFinal written decision
    • Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner

      “art. This determination of the level of ordinary skill in the art is consistent with what is reflected by the content of the applied prior art references. Cf. Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1354–55 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (the applied prior art may reflect an appropriate level of skill). Further, our obviousness conclusions would be no different even if Patent Owner’s articulation of the level of ordinary skill in the art is adopted. B.” slip op. at 15

    • Expert testimonyPatent owner expert creditedDecided for patent owner

      “Accordingly, we do not discount Mr. Smith-Gillespie’s testimony” slip op. at 33

    • Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededOther

      “1. “closed loop” The term “closed loop” is recited in each independent claim. Petitioner asserts that in the Delaware action , the district court construed “closed loop” as “gas pathway within a display housing containing gas that is essentially isolated from external air.” Pet. 11 (citing Ex. 1026, 1). Petitioner asserts that the district court’s construction is the proper construction, in light of the specification and the prosecution history of the ’740 patent. Id. at 11–12. Petitioner explains: The ’740 patent refers to the gas/air, circulating through a closed loop as the circulating gas/air and also as the “isolated gas.” (Ex. 1001, 9:64–10:3, 10:7–9, 10:56–58, 11:30–12:6 (claims reciting circulating gas/air), 3:30–[39], 3:50–52 (specification referring to gas in the closed loop as “circulating gas” and “isolated gas”), FIG. 1.) Moreover, as noted above, the Applicant distinguished the claims from the Thielemans prior art based on the argument that the closed loop must be separate from and in addition to the open loop. (Ex. [1031], pp. 44-45, 160 (Responses filed on 01/07/2019 and 08/15/2019).) The Court’s “closed loop” construction should apply here, though Applicant notes that this claim construction does not affect the applicability of the prior art in this Petition because the art teaches the separate loops. Id. at 12. Petitioner’s characterization of the prosecution history with respect to the Thielemans reference is inaccurate. Our review of the cited portions of the prosecution history reveals that the Applicants did not argue to the Examiner that the closed loop and the open loop must be isolated from each other and cannot mix. Rather, the Applicants argued that Thielemans discloses having an open loop or a closed loop, not both an open loop and a closed loop. Ex. 1031, 44–45, 160. The Applicants also argued that Thielemans’s closed loop is not “about” and is not “encircling” the electronic image assembly. Id. at 160. The cited prosecution history does not support Petitioner’s assertion. Patent Owner explains that the ITC in the related investigation” slip op. at 16

    • Obviousness (§103) › Graham factors (scope of art, differences, level of skill)UnpatentableUnpatentable

      “whether there was an apparent reason to combine the known elements in the fashion claimed by the patent at issue.” KSR, 550 U.S. at 418 (citing In re Kahn, 441 F.3d 977, 988 (Fed. Cir. 2006)). “[T]here must be some articulated reasoning with some rational underpinning to support the legal conclusion of obviousness.” Kahn, 441 F.3d at 988.” slip op. at 34

    Patent outcomesUS 10,506,740 unpatentable
    Claim construction§ 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · KSR · Graham
    Patents in suitUS 10,506,740

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.