- Alliance Laundry Systems, LLC v. Payrange LLCSome claims unpatentablePTAB · Aug 19, 2026 · PGR2025-00027 · APJ George R Hoskins · PGR · Final written decision
Claims 1–6 and 8–20 are unpatentable under § 101; claim 7 was not shown unpatentable.
RulingsFinal written decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted
“Pet.”) pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §§ 321–329 to institute a post-grant review of U.S. Patent No. 11,966,920 B2 (Ex. 1001, “the ’920 patent”), claims 1–20. We issued an Institution Decision (Paper 12) granting the petitioned review. slip op. at 2
- Skill levelOther
“B. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art Petitioner contends a person having ordinary skill in the art pertaining” slip op. at 11
- Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITAPlain and ordinary meaningDecided for patent owner
“thereby supporting our conclusion that the plain and ordinary meaning of “affordance” in claim 1 refers to an interactive user interface element.” slip op. at 30
- Obviousness (§103) › Graham factors (scope of art, differences, level of skill)Not shown unpatentableNot shown unpatentable
“For the foregoing reasons, we conclude Petitioner’s reliance on Low’s” slip op. at 21
Patent outcomesUS 11,966,920 mixedClaim construction§ 101 eligibility§ 103 obviousnesscites Alice · Mayo · Bilski · Berkheimer · Enfish · Electric Power · KSRPatents in suitUS 11,966,920 - PTAB · Aug 25, 2025 · PGR2025-00028 · APJ George R Hoskins · PGR · Institution
The Board instituted PGR on claims 1–20 and all asserted grounds after finding claim 1 more likely than not unpatentable under § 101.
RulingsInstitution decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted
“Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 324(a), the Director may not authorize a post-grant review unless the information in the petition, if unrebutted, “would demonstrate that it is more likely than not that at least 1 of the claims challenged in the petition is unpatentable.” See 37 C.F.R. § 42.4(a) (“The Board institutes the trial on behalf of the Director.”). For the reasons that follow, we institute a post-grant review as to claims 1–20 of the ’423 patent on all grounds of unpatentability asserted in the Petition.” slip op. at 2
- Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner
“ordinary skill in the art would have had “an educational background of, or practical experience equivalent to, a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or equivalent training, and approximately three years of experience with electronic payment systems, vending machine technologies, or distributed network systems,” where “[l]ack of work experience can be remedied by additional education, and vice versa.” Pet. 20 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 20–26). Patent Owner does not address the level of ordinary skill in the art in its Preliminary Response. Based on the record presented, including our review of the ’423 patent and the types of problems and solutions described in the ’423 patent and cited 2 Petitioner states that it “takes no position on the proper priority date for the [c]hallenged [c]laims” and “uses the earliest possible priority date claimed, December 18, 2013,” for purposes of its asserted grounds. Pet. 14. prior art, we agree with Petitioner’s definition and apply it for purposes of this Decision. See, e.g., Ex. 1001, 1:42–2:21 (stating that “[t]he present application relates to the field of payment processing systems” and describing the functionality of payment accepting units in the “Background” section).” slip op. at 7
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededOther
“B. Claim Interpretation We interpret each challenged claim using the same claim construction standard that would be used to construe the claim in a civil action under 35 U.S.C. 282(b), including construing the claim in accordance with the ordinary and customary meaning of such claim as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art and the prosecution history pertaining to the patent. 37 C.F.R. § 42.200(b). Petitioner states that, “for purposes of [its] Petition, the Board need not construe any claim terms to resolve the parties’ disputes, and the claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning.” Pet. 20. Patent Owner agrees that “[n]o constructions are necessary” to decide the issues disputed by the parties. Prelim. Resp. 2–3. We conclude that no express interpretation of any claim term is necessary to determine whether to institute a post-grant review in this proceeding. See Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co., 868 F.3d 1013, 1017 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (“Because we need only construe terms ‘that are in controversy, and only to the extent necessary to resolve the controversy,’ we need not construe [a particular claim limitation] where the construction is not ‘material to the . . . dispute.’” (citation omitted) (emphasis added)).” slip op. at 8
- PTAB / AIA Trials › §315(e) estoppelNot reached
“For the reasons explained below, we conclude, on the merits and based on the current record, that Petitioner has shown that it is more likely than not that claim 1 is unpatentable as claiming patent-ineligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101. See Pet. 77–84. Accordingly, we need not determine at this time whether collateral estoppel applies based on the Board’s decision in PGR2021-00093. The parties, however, should address the issue in their papers during trial, with citations to relevant authority. In particular, the parties are encouraged to address (1) how the collateral estoppel requirement that the issue be “identical to one decided in the first action” applies in the context of an asserted ground under 35 U.S.C. § 101, and (2) the parties’ apparent disagreement as to whether collateral estoppel may be applied in such circumstances on a “limitation-by-limitation basis.” See Pet. 72, 75 (quoting Google LLC v. Hammond Dev. Int’l, Inc., 54 F.4th 1377, 1381 (Fed. Cir. 2022)); Prelim. Resp. 20–21; see also Kroy IP Holdings, LLC v. Groupon, Inc., – F.4th –, No. 2023-1359, 2025 WL 2178321, at *4 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 1, 2025) (Dyk, J., dissenting) (“In subsequent Board proceedings, it is well established that collateral estoppel applies to claims adjudicated by the Board to be unpatentable and also to ‘related claims that present identical issues of patentability,’ i.e., patentably indistinct claims. . . . ‘It is well established that patent claims need not be identical for collateral estoppel to apply.’” (citing MaxLinear, Inc. v. CF CRESPE LLC, 880 F.3d 1373, 1377 (Fed. Cir. 2018); Google, 54 F.4th at 1381)).” slip op. at 12
Claim construction§ 101 eligibility§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Mayo · Bilski · Berkheimer · Enfish · Electric PowerPatents in suitUS 11,972,423 - PTAB · Aug 25, 2025 · PGR2025-00027 · APJ George R Hoskins · PGR · Institution
The Board instituted PGR of claims 1–20 on all petitioned grounds, finding claim 1 more likely than not ineligible under § 101.
RulingsInstitution decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted
“A. Legal Standards — Petitioner’s Burden In a post-grant review, “the petitioner has the burden from the onset to show with particularity why the patent it challenges is unpatentable.” Harmonic Inc. v. Avid Tech., Inc., 815 F.3d 1356, 1363 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (discussing 35 U.S.C. § 312(a)(3), which is identical to 35 U.S.C. § 322(a)(3) in requiring petitions to identify “with particularity . . . the evidence that supports the grounds for the challenge to each claim”). This 2 Pub. L. No. 112-29, 125 Stat. 284 (2011). burden of persuasion never shifts to the patent owner. See Dynamic Drinkware, LLC v. Nat’l Graphics, Inc., 800 F.3d 1375, 1378 (Fed. Cir. 2015).” slip op. at 10
- Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner
“B. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art Petitioner contends a person having ordinary skill in the art pertaining to the ’920 patent “would have had an educational background of, or practical experience equivalent to, a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or equivalent training, and approximately three years of experience with electronic payment systems, vending machine technologies, or distributed network systems.” Pet. 20; Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 20–26. Further: “Lack of work experience can be remedied by additional education, and vice versa.” Pet. 20; Ex. 1003 ¶ 22. Patent Owner does not oppose Petitioner’s formulation of ordinary skill. See Prelim. Resp. generally. Based on the record presented, including our review of the ’920 patent and the types of problems and solutions described in the ’920 patent and cited prior art, we agree with Petitioner’s definition and apply it for purposes of this Decision. See, e.g., Ex. 1001, 1:42–2:21 (stating “[t]he present application relates to the field of payment processing systems” and describing the functionality of payment accepting units in the “BACKGROUND” section).” slip op. at 11
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededOther
“Petitioner argues “the Board need not construe any claim terms to resolve the parties’ disputes.” Pet. 20. Patent Owner argues: “No constructions are necessary to deny institution because denial is warranted for numerous reasons that do not depend on claim construction.” Prelim. Resp. 3. However, as discussed below, several of Patent Owner’s arguments seeking to distinguish claim 1 from Low rely on underlying claim construction positions. Except as discussed below in connection with those arguments, we determine no explicit construction is needed to resolve the parties’ controversy as to whether institution should be granted here. See Realtime Data, LLC v. Iancu, 912 F.3d 1368, 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2019) (“The Board is required to construe ‘only those terms . . . that are in controversy, and only to the extent necessary to resolve the controversy.’”) (quoting Vivid Techs., Inc. v. Am. Sci. & Eng’g, Inc., 200 F.3d 795, 803 (Fed. Cir. 1999)).” slip op. at 12
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionInstituted
“We determine Petitioner has made a sufficient showing for Step 2A, Prong 1 based on the current record. Petitioner addresses each of limitations [1.2]–[1.14] and explains how they support Petitioner’s contention that the claim, as a whole, is directed to the alleged abstract idea. See Pet. 80–84. For example, Petitioner notes specifically how limitation [1.2], reciting “identifying one or more payment accepting units,” pertains to identifying a merchant, and how limitations [1.6], [1.7], and [1.9] recite user interaction using the mobile device that enables the completion of a purchase. See id. Petitioner thus shows sufficiently how claim 1, by virtue of the limitations reproduced above,5 recites the concept of “identifying a merchant and enabling completion of a purchase from the merchant.” Id. at 80.” slip op. at 21
Claim construction§ 101 eligibility§ 103 obviousnesscites Alice · Mayo · Bilski · Berkheimer · Enfish · Electric PowerPatents in suitUS 11,966,920 - Kiosoft Technologies, LLC / Techtrex, Inc. v. Payrange Inc.Some claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 26, 2022 · PGR2021-00077 · APJ Meredith C Petravick · PGR · Final written decision
Claim 1 is unpatentable under § 101; claims 2–27 were not shown unpatentable because the other challenges were deficient.
RulingsFinal written decision- Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner
“A person having ordinary skill in the art would have had an education background of, or practical experience providing an equivalent to, a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related/equivalent field and at least four years of work experience in identity, transaction, and telecommunication solutions.” slip op. at 12
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionUnpatentable
“As can be seen from claim 1 above, all of the claimed method steps occur “at the mobile device” and the final step is to enable completion of a cashless transaction. Claim 1 does not recite completing the purchase. The ’833 patent describes that any commercial transaction is completed at the automatic retail machine, not at the mobile device. Ex. 1001, 11:5–9; see also id. at 21:4–11, 22:18–20, 23:53–61, 30:25–27. We, thus, agree with Patent Owner that the claimed method does not require completing or conducting the transaction, but only enabling the completion of the transaction. On this complete record, we are persuaded that the elements italicized above recite the concept of obtaining authorization for a purchase and enabling completion of a cashless transaction, prior to user selection of any items or services. See Pet. 22–23 (arguing that the claimed method “is effectively no different than a person entering a store, the store checking the customer’s available credit (or calling a bank to do so) and when the customer decides on the item, completing the purchase”); Pet. Reply 5–6 (arguing that the claim recites “obtaining payment authorization and performing a financial transaction, the same as a person entering a store, the store checking the customer’s available credit (or calling a bank to do so) and, when the customer decides on the item, allowing the purchase”). In particular, claim 1 recites steps for obtaining authorization prior to user selection of any items or services — steps of identifying the automatic retail machine, obtaining a request from the electronic payment device, sending the request to a server, and obtaining from the server an authorization grant. Claim 1 also recites steps for enabling the completion of a purchase (i.e., cashless transaction) — detecting a trigger condition and sending the authorization grant to the electronic payment device. Our slight revision of the abstract idea from what we previously stated in our Institution Decision does not impact the patentability analysis. Apple, Inc. v. Ameranth, Inc., 842 F.3d 1229, 1241 (Fed. Cir. 2016).” slip op. at 18
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step two — inventive conceptStep2 no inventive conceptUnpatentable
“We are not persuaded. Patent Owner’s arguments rest on the alleged novelty of the abstract idea itself, not the “specific limitation beyond the judicial exception,” i.e., the additional elements. “[A] claimed invention’s use of the ineligible concept to which it is directed cannot supply the inventive concept that renders the invention ‘significantly more’ than that ineligible concept.” BSG Tech LLC v. Buyseasons, Inc., 899 F.3d 1281, 1290 (Fed. Cir. 2018). A novel and nonobvious claim directed to a purely abstract idea is, nonetheless, patent ineligible. See Mayo, 566 U.S. at 90. “The ‘novelty’ of any element or steps in a process, or even of the process itself, is of no relevance in determining whether the subject matter of a claim falls within the § 101 categories of possibly patentable subject matter.” Diehr, 450 U.S. at 188–89 (emphasis added). Patent Owner and Dr. Shamos do not identify, and we cannot find, anything in the claim suggesting that the mobile device, server, or automated retail device (i.e., the additional elements) are more than generic components. Indeed, the ’833 patent’s specification demonstrates that these elements were well-understood, routine, and conventional to the industry. Ex. 1001, 2:23–29, 37–42, 3:25–38 (explaining that Offer “teaches permitting the cashless utilization of a vending machines via a communications service, such as a cellular telephone;” Khan teaches an application on a user’s “personal trusted device” used to effectuate cashless purchases; and Carlson teaches “a system and a method for using a portable consumer device such as a mobile phone for payments and the like,” the method including prompting a user to select, from his mobile device, a product for purchase at a vending machine, after/if the user is authorized to make the purchase, and sending an authorization response to the vending machine from a “remote payment server”).” slip op. at 26
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededOther
“At the institution stage, we determined that no claim term required explicit construction. Inst. Dec. 35–37. Petitioner does not challenge our determination or otherwise advance its claim constructions in its Reply. See generally Pet. Reply. Patent Owner does not advance any explicit claim construction. PO Resp. 7–13. Regarding the identifying limitation, Patent Owner indicates that it is “undisputed between the parties that the claims require automatically determining the identity of the specific automatic retail machine based on an electronic transmission received from an electronic payment device of that automatic retail machine.” Id. at 7–8 (emphasis in original, citing Ex. 2018, 3; Ex. 2016 ¶ 68). Patent Owner submits that Petitioner’s constructions for each of the obtaining, authorization, and payment limitations should be rejected “for lacking accordance with the plain meaning of the claim in view of the specification” or “ignor[ing] the plain meaning of the term.” Id. at 9, 12, 13. As to the detecting limitation, Patent Owner argues that certain prior art asserted in the grounds in the Petition fails to teach the term as construed. Id. at 9. We determine that we need not expressly construe these claim terms” slip op. at 33
Patent outcomesUS 10,719,833 mixedClaim construction§ 101 eligibility§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Mayo · Bilski · Phillips · KSR · Graham · NautilusPatents in suitUS 10,719,833 - PTAB · Dec 17, 2021 · PGR2021-00093 · APJ Meredith C Petravick · PGR · Institution
The Board instituted PGR on claims 1–25 on all petition grounds after finding the § 101 challenge to claim 1 met the institution threshold.
RulingsInstitution decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Discretionary denial › Fintiv (parallel litigation)Decided for petitioner
“Fintiv sets forth the factors that we weigh in determining whether to exercise our discretion to deny institution of the post-grant patent review proceeding here under 35 U.S.C. § 324(a). See Fintiv, Paper 11, 5–6. These factors are: 1. whether the court granted a stay or evidence exists that one may be granted if a proceeding is instituted; 2. proximity of the court’s trial date to the Board’s projected statutory deadline for a final written decision; 3. investment in the parallel proceeding by the court and the parties; 4. overlap between issues raised in the petition and in the parallel proceeding; 5. whether the petitioner and the defendant in the parallel proceeding are the same party; and 6. other circumstances that impact the Board’s exercise of discretion, including the merits. support the exercise of authority to deny institution in view of an earlier trial date in the parallel proceeding.” Id. at 6. “[T]he Board takes a holistic view of whether efficiency and integrity of the system are best served by denying or instituting review.” Id.” slip op. at 7
- PTAB / AIA Trials › Discretionary denial › §325(d) same art / argumentsDecided for petitioner
“Because the claims at issue here, in particular claim 1, differ from the March 2015 amended claims of the ’859 patent and the August 2014 amended claims of the ’296 patent (see, e.g., Ex. 1001, 46:59–47:34), we are not persuaded that the cited prosecution history equally applies to the claims here. In particular, we note that claim 1, which we discuss in the analysis below, does not recite a first transceiver corresponding to a short-range communication mode and a second transceiver corresponding to a long-range communication mode, and does not specify whether a first or second transceiver perform certain actions recited in the claim. Id. As Patent Owner points out (Prelim. Resp. 19), claim 1 of the ’614 patent more but claim 1 does not specify whether it is long or short range and merely recites it being used to establish a connection for the exchange of information between a mobile device and a payment accepting unit in some of the claimed steps. Id. Thus, considering Becton, Dickinson factors (a) and (d), we are not persuaded that the same or substantially the same arguments concerning § 101 were previously presented to the Office. Because we determine that the same or substantially the same arguments with respect to § 101 were not previously presented to the Office, we need not address part two of the Advanced Bionics framework with respect to those arguments.” slip op. at 19
- Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner
“A [person having ordinary skill in the art (“POSITA”)] would have had an education background of, or practical experience providing an equivalent to, a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related/equivalent field and at least 3 years of academic or industry experience in electronic payment systems. Pet. 16 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 5–6). Patent Owner does not dispute Petitioner’s contention in its Preliminary Response. See generally Prelim. Resp. Based on the record before us, we adopt Petitioner’s asserted level of ordinary skill to determine whether it is more likely than not that at least one of the claims challenged in the Petition is unpatentable. This level of skill in the art is consistent with the disclosure of the ’614 patent and the prior art of record. See In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995).” slip op. at 22
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionInstituted
“Ex. 1001, 46:61–47:34. Based on the current record, we are persuaded that the limitations above recite the concept of identifying a merchant and making a purchase from the merchant. In particular, claim 1 recites steps for identifying payment accepting units (i.e., a merchant) — limitations 1.2– 1.7.1. Claim 1 also recites steps for conducting the purchase —limitations 1.7.2–1.11. Based on the current record, we find that identifying a merchant and making a purchase from the merchant is a commercial interaction, a sales activity. It falls within the enumerated “[c]ertain methods of organizing human activity” grouping of abstract ideas set forth in MPEP § 2106.04(a)(2).” slip op. at 28
Claim construction§ 101 eligibility§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousness§ 112 disclosurecites Mayo · Bilski · Berkheimer · Phillips · NautilusPatents in suitUS 10,891,614 - Quantile Technologies Limited v. Trioptima ABAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 1, 2021 · CBM2020-00012 · APJ Kevin W Cherry · CBM · Final written decision
Claims 1–46 are unpatentable under § 101 because they claim abstract financial and mathematical processes without integrating them into a practical application or adding an inventive concept.
RulingsFinal written decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted
“On October 6, 2020, based on the record before us at the time, we instituted a covered business method patent review of all challenged claims on all grounds alleged. Paper 11 (“Institution Decision” or “Dec.”). The claims and ground in this proceeding are indicated in the table below.” slip op. at 2
- Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)No construction neededNot reached
“35 U.S.C. § 282(b) “including construing the claim in accordance with the ordinary and customary meaning of such claim as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art and the prosecution history pertaining to the patent.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.200(b) (2019). When applying that standard, we interpret the claim language as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the specification. In re Suitco Surface, Inc., 603 F.3d 1255, 1260 (Fed. Cir. 2010). Thus, we give claim terms their ordinary and customary meaning as they would be understood by an ordinarily skilled artisan. See In re Translogic Tech., Inc., 504 F.3d 1249, 1257 (Fed. Cir. 2007) (“The ordinary and customary meaning ‘is the meaning that the term would have to a person of ordinary skill in the art in question.’” (quoting Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1313 (Fed. Cir. 2005)). Only terms that are in controversy need to be construed, and then only to the extent necessary to resolve the controversy. Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co., 868 F.3d 1013, 1017 (Fed. Cir. 2017). Patent Owner seeks construction of the terms “linking unit” and “combining unit” from claims 5 and 23, and “converting unit” from claim 6. Pet. 14–18. However, because we determine that even under Patent Owner’s constructions, the claims would be ineligible as discussed below, we discern no terms in need of express interpretation. Accordingly, we apply the legal standards set forth above when reading the claims. B. CBM PATENT REVIEW ELIGIBILITY” slip op. at 15
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionUnpatentable
“Id. at 33:66–34:12 (emphasis added). The combination of the elements italicized above recites the concept of simplifying a trade portfolio through premature termination of certain transactions. The claimed method accomplishes this through collecting information, grouping related information together, and then using mathematical techniques on the information, calculating a total value of the group, and selecting a certain group that meets certain criteria. This is all a mental process, an example of an abstract idea.” slip op. at 23
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step two — inventive conceptStep2 no inventive conceptUnpatentable
“Claims 4 and 5 use a generic processor to perform well-understood, routine, conventional activities previously known to the industry, such as receiving and analyzing data and performing mathematical calculations. See Bancorp Servs., L.L.C v. Sun Life Assur. Co. of Canada (U.S.), 687 F.3d 1266, 1278 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (“[T]he use of a computer in an otherwise patent-ineligible process for no more than its most basic function--making calculations or computations-- fails to circumvent the prohibition against patenting abstract ideas and mental processes.”). We do not discern any claimed element for accomplishing the claimed solution that is other than what was generically known for performing those conventional functions. See Credit Acceptance, 859 F.3d at 1057 (“[T]he claims do not provide details as to any non-conventional software for enhancing the financing process.”); see Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Capital One Fin. Corp., 850 F.3d 1332, 1342 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (“Our law demands more” than claim language that “provides only a result-oriented solution, with insufficient detail for how a computer accomplishes it.”); Elec. Power, 830 F.3d at 1354 (explaining that claims are directed to an abstract idea where they do not recite “any particular assertedly inventive technology for performing [conventional] functions”). Despite Patent Owner’s assertions that the claim steps add enough to make the claims patentable, we find the recitation of the steps performed by a generic processor at a high level of generality is insufficient to supply an inventive concept.” slip op. at 40
Patent outcomesUS 8,010,441 unpatentableClaim construction§ 101 eligibilitycites Mayo · Bilski · Enfish · Electric Power · PhillipsPatents in suitUS 8,010,441 - Quantile Technologies Limited v. Trioptima ABAll claims unpatentablePTAB · Sep 17, 2021 · CBM2020-00011 · APJ Kevin W Cherry · CBM · Final written decision
Claims 1–22 are unpatentable under § 101; the contingent motion to amend proposing substitute claims 23–28 is denied because those claims are also ineligible.
RulingsFinal written decision- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionUnpatentable
“Id. at 32:41–33:15 (emphasis added). The combination of the elements italicized above recites the concept of simplifying a trade portfolio through premature termination of certain transactions. The claimed system accomplishes this through collecting information, linking related information together, and then using mathematical techniques on the information to generate a “proposal package” of transactions for “termination and assignment.” This is all a mental process, an example of an abstract idea.” slip op. at 24
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step two — inventive conceptStep2 no inventive conceptUnpatentable
“Claim 1 uses a generic processor to perform well-understood, routine, conventional activities previously known to the industry, such as receiving and analyzing data and performing mathematical calculations. See Bancorp Servs., L.L.C v. Sun Life Assur. Co. of Canada (U.S.), 687 F.3d 1266, 1278 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (“[T]he use of a computer in an otherwise patent-ineligible process for no more than its most basic function--making calculations or computations-- fails to circumvent the prohibition against patenting abstract ideas and mental processes.”). We do not discern any claimed element for accomplishing the claimed solution that is other than what was generically known for performing those conventional functions. See Credit Acceptance, 859 F.3d at 1057 (“[T]he claims do not provide details as to any non-conventional software for enhancing the financing process.”); see Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Capital One Fin. Corp., 850 F.3d 1332, 1342 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (“Our law demands more” than claim language that “provides only a result-oriented solution, with insufficient detail for how a computer accomplishes it.”); Elec. Power, 830 F.3d at 1354 (explaining that claims are directed to an abstract idea where they do not recite “any particular assertedly inventive technology for performing [conventional] functions”). Despite Patent Owner’s assertions that the claim steps add enough to make the claims patentable, we find the bare recitation of the steps performed by a generic processor at a high level of generality is insufficient to supply an inventive concept.” slip op. at 39
- PTAB / AIA Trials › Motions to amend / substitute claimsMotion to amend, deniedDenied
“The combination of the elements italicized above recites the concept of simplifying a trade portfolio through premature termination of certain transactions. The claimed system accomplishes this through collecting information, linking related information together, and then using mathematical techniques on the information to generate a “proposal package” of transactions for “termination and assignment.” This is all a mental process, an example of an abstract idea. Patent Owner’s efforts to mimic the claim language in McRO does not change the result here. To begin with, the Supreme Court has cautioned against patent eligibility turning on the claim drafter’s art. See Flook, 437 U.S. at 593 (stating that patent eligibility does not turn “on the draftsman’s art”). Thus, merely parroting some language of an eligible claim of a completely different invention does not make the claims for this invention any less abstract. More importantly, the fact that the language is similar does not change the fundamental differences between the claimed invention here and the invention that was claimed in McRO. Proposed substitute claims 26, 27, and 28 are similar to proposed substitute claim 25 and add similar limitations that do not take the claim outside the realm of abstract ideas for Step 1 of the Alice inquiry. Accordingly, Petitioner has shown that the proposed substitute claims” slip op. at 61
- 101 substituteMotion to amend, deniedDenied
“The combination of the elements italicized above recites the concept of simplifying a trade portfolio through premature termination of certain transactions. The claimed system accomplishes this through collecting information, linking related information together, and then using mathematical techniques on the information to generate a “proposal package” of transactions for “termination and assignment.” This is all a mental process, an example of an abstract idea. Patent Owner’s efforts to mimic the claim language in McRO does not change the result here. To begin with, the Supreme Court has cautioned against patent eligibility turning on the claim drafter’s art. See Flook, 437 U.S. at 593 (stating that patent eligibility does not turn “on the draftsman’s art”). Thus, merely parroting some language of an eligible claim of a completely different invention does not make the claims for this invention any less abstract. More importantly, the fact that the language is similar does not change the fundamental differences between the claimed invention here and the invention that was claimed in McRO. Proposed substitute claims 26, 27, and 28 are similar to proposed substitute claim 25 and add similar limitations that do not take the claim outside the realm of abstract ideas for Step 1 of the Alice inquiry. Accordingly, Petitioner has shown that the proposed substitute claims” slip op. at 61
Patent outcomesUS 7,613,649 unpatentable§ 101 eligibilitycites Mayo · Bilski · Enfish · Electric Power · PhillipsPatents in suitUS 7,613,649 - Tradestation Technologies, Inc. v. Trading Technologies International, Inc.All claims unpatentablePTAB · Nov 17, 2017 · CBM2016-00086 · APJ Sally C Medley · CBM · Final written decision
Claims 1–21 are unpatentable under § 101 because they claim an abstract economic practice without an inventive concept.
RulingsFinal written decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted
“I. INTRODUCTION TradeStation Technologies, Inc., (“Petitioner”)1 filed a Petition requesting a covered business method patent review of claims 1–21 of U.S. Patent No. 7,818,247 B2 (Ex. 1001, “the ’247 patent”) under the transitional program for covered business method patents.2 Paper 2 (“Pet.”). Trading Technologies International, Inc. (“Patent Owner”) did not file a Patent Owner Preliminary Response. Upon consideration of the Petition, we instituted a covered business method patent review of claims 1–21 of the ’247 patent (Paper 8 (“Dec.”)).” slip op. at 2
- BurdenFwd all claims unpatentableUnpatentable
“We have considered Petitioner’s showing and all of Patent Owner’s arguments, and determine, for all of the above reasons, Petitioner has shown sufficiently that claims 1–21 of the ’247 patent are not directed to patent eligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101. III. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, we determine that Petitioner has shown, by a preponderance of the evidence, that claims 1–21 of the ’247 patent are patent-ineligible under 35 U.S.C. § 101. IV. ORDER It is: ORDERED that claims 1–21 of the ’247 patent are patent-ineligible under 35 U.S.C. § 101; and” slip op. at 28
- Skill levelSkill level board ownOther
“B. The Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art Notwithstanding the parties’ submissions of the level of ordinary skill in the art, we find that the level of ordinary skill in the art is reflected by the prior art of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995); In re Oelrich, 579 F.2d 86, 91 (CCPA 1978).” slip op. at 15
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionUnpatentable
“we determine that Petitioner has shown4 that claim 1 is directed to the abstract idea of receiving market information, color-coding graphical areas based on market information, and then updating the display based on newly received market information to assist a trader to make an order, which is a fundamental economic practice. Claim 1, the sole independent claim, recites in the preamble a method for displaying market information corresponding to a commodity being traded at an electronic exchange. The method steps include receiving market data including a quantity of an order at a first price level, displaying a first and second graphical area corresponding to a first and second price level in an axial direction, color-coding the first and second graphical areas with a first and second color respectively, and updating the first and second graphical area such that the first graphical area is color-coded with the second color and the second graphical area is color-coded with the first color. We agree with Petitioner that claim 1 encompasses the abstract idea of displaying financial information in a manner that makes it easier to understand and facilitate trades on an exchange, steps that can be performed using pen and paper, or even in a trader’s mind. Pet. 31–38 (citing CyberSource Corp. v. Retail Decisions, 654 F.3d 1366, 1372 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (unpatentable mental process performed with aid of pen and paper)); Ex.” slip op. at 18
Patent outcomesUS 7,818,247 unpatentable§ 101 eligibilitycites Alice · Mayo · Enfish · Electric PowerPatents in suitUS 7,818,247 - Ibg LLC / Interactive Brokers LLC et al. v. Trading Technologies International, Inc.All claims unpatentablePTAB · Nov 17, 2017 · CBM2016-00087 · APJ Sally C Medley · CBM · Final written decision
Claims 1–24 are unpatentable under § 101, and claims 2 and 15 are also unpatentable under § 112 ¶ 4.
RulingsFinal written decision- PTAB / AIA Trials › Institution threshold (reasonable likelihood / more likely than not)InstitutedInstituted
“Tradestation Securities, Inc., (“Petitioner”)1 filed a Petition requesting a review of claims 1–24 of U.S. Patent No. 7,412,416 B2 (Ex. 1001, “the ’416 patent”) under the transitional program for covered business method patents.2 Paper 3 (“Pet.”). Trading Technologies International, Inc. (“Patent Owner”) did not file a Patent Owner Preliminary Response. Upon consideration of the Petition, we instituted a covered business method patent review of claims 1– 24 of the ’416 patent (Paper 11 (“Dec.”)).” slip op. at 2
- Skill levelSkill level board ownOther
“B. The Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art Notwithstanding the parties’ submissions of the level of ordinary skill in the art, we find that the level of ordinary skill in the art is reflected by the prior art of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re GPAC Inc., 57 F.3d 1573, 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1995); In re Oelrich, 579 F.2d 86, 91 (CCPA 1978).” slip op. at 16
- ExcludeDenied
“Kawashima’s deposition (Ex. 1018), and portions of Exhibit 1060 (the cross examination testimony of Mr. Thomas). PO Mot. to Exclude 1. Patent Owner seeks to exclude Exhibits 1015 and 1016 as not relevant under Rules 401 and 402 of the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) and because the exhibits have not been authenticated under FRE 901. Id. at 1–4. Patent Owner also seeks to exclude Exhibit 1018 as hearsay, and pages 248, and 263–269 of Exhibit 1060 (the cross examination testimony of Mr. Thomas) as prejudicial and confusing. Id. at 4–13. In rendering our Final Decision, we did not and need not consider Exhibits 1015, 1016, 1018 or pages 248, and 263–269 of Exhibit 1060. We have determined that Petitioner has demonstrated, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the challenged claims are unpatentable, without considering Exhibits 1015, 1016, 1018 or pages 248, and 263–269 of Exhibit 1060. Accordingly, Patent Owner’s Motion to Exclude is dismissed.” slip op. at 32
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionUnpatentable
“Notwithstanding Patent Owner’s arguments, which we address below, we determine that Petitioner has shown3 that claim 1 is directed to the abstract idea of displaying a chart with a vertical price axis and a horizontal time axis, displaying indicators representing historical trading data along those axes, placing an order icon at a particular location of a plurality of locations, and generating and sending the order to an electronic trading system to assist a trader to place an order, which is a fundamental economic practice. The preamble of claim 1 recites a method for facilitating trading and displaying information regarding the buying and selling of a good. The method steps of claim 1 include displaying a chart on a graphical user interface having a vertical axis of price values and a horizontal axis of time, placing an order icon for a quantity of a good at a location along the vertical axis of price levels, and generating and sending the order to an electronic trading system. We agree with Petitioner that claim 1 encompasses the abstract idea of the fundamental economic practice of graphing (or displaying) trading data to assist a trader to place an order, steps that can be performed using pen and paper, or even in a trader’s mind. Pet. 22–25” slip op. at 21
Patent outcomesUS 7,412,416 unpatentable§ 101 eligibility§ 112 disclosurecites Alice · Mayo · Enfish · Electric PowerPatents in suitUS 7,412,416 - Ibg LLC / Interactive Brokers LLC et al. v. Trading Technologies International, Inc.All claims unpatentablePTAB · Oct 17, 2017 · CBM2016-00054 · APJ Meredith C Petravick · CBM · Final written decision
Claims 1–23 are unpatentable under § 101 and § 103; the Board found the claims patent-ineligible and found the challenged obviousness grounds established.
RulingsFinal written decision- ExcludeMotion to exclude, deniedDenied
“Patent Owner’s argument is not persuasive. FRE 106 provides that: If a party introduces all or part of a writing or recorded statement, an adverse party may require the introduction, at that time, of any other part —or any other writing or recorded statement — that in fairness ought to be considered at the same time. As Petitioner points out, “rather than providing a basis for excluding evidence, Fed. R. Evid. 106 is a vehicle for entry of additional evidence.” Here, the two translator’s notes from Patent Owner’s original translation already appear in the record. Ex. 2178, 39–40. FRE 403 provides: The court may exclude relevant evidence if its probative value is substantially outweighed by a danger of one or more of the following: unfair prejudice, confusing the issues, misleading the jury, undue delay, wasting time, or needlessly presenting cumulative evidence. Patent Owner has not met its burden to show Exhibit 1017 should be” slip op. at 75
- Skill levelOther
- Expert testimonyPetitioner expert discountedPatent owner expert discountedDecided for patent owner
“We have considered the evidence to which we are directed, but do not find that evidence (passages from Mr. Kawashima’s original and cross examination) to support Patent Owner’s assertions that Mr. Kawashima is biased. Indeed, when asked if the Tokyo Stock Exchange preferred that vendors like Trading Technologies not have patents on trading screens, Mr. Kawashima testified, that that was “not something I would know.” Ex. 2163, 41:6–12. Lastly, Patent Owner has not demonstrated sufficiently that Mr. Kawashima’s meetings with Petitioner’s attorneys prior to his cross examination is demonstrative of “bias.” PO Resp. 24. Patent Owner has not shown why Mr. Kawashima’s meeting with Petitioner’s counsel prior to his deposition would make him biased. For these reasons, we are not persuaded that Mr. Kawashima is an interested witness.” slip op. at 45
- Patent Eligibility (§101) › Alice/Mayo step one — 'directed to'Step1 directed to exceptionUnpatentable
“2. Abstract Idea “The ‘abstract idea’ step of the inquiry calls upon us to look at the” slip op. at 27
Patent outcomesUS 7,693,768 unpatentable§ 101 eligibility§ 103 obviousnesscites Mayo · Enfish · Electric Power · KSRPatents in suitUS 7,693,768
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.