• Qiagen Sciences, LLC v. Tecan Genomics, Inc.All claims unpatentable
  PTAB · May 12, 2026 · IPR2025-00026 · APJ Georgianna W Braden · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 1–10 are unpatentable: claims 1–3 and 5–10 are anticipated by Porreca and obvious over Schmitt and McCloskey; claims 4 and 7 are also obvious over the listed Illumina combinations.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for patent owner

    “On the initial trial record, we agreed with Patent Owner that one of ordinary skill in the art would have had experience with next generation sequencing, but were not persuaded that this would only be possible in the field of molecular biology. Instead, we found that a person of ordinary skill would have had either (1) a Ph.D. in the field of chemistry, molecular biology, or biochemistry or (2) a B.S. or M.S. degree with three to five years of experience working in any of those fields. Inst. Dec. 8. We specifically found that “[t]he person of ordinary skill would have had experience with next generation sequencing methods and a working knowledge of how those methods functioned.” Id. at 8–9. Patent Owner now submits that it does not dispute the definition of a person of ordinary skill in the art as laid out in the Institution Decision. PO Resp. 13. Reviewing the entire trial record, we maintain the same definition of a person of ordinary skill in the art and note that it is consistent with the skill level reflected in the disclosures of the ’357 patent and prior art. We further note that the skill level does not affect our analysis or our final decision.” slip op. at 10

  • Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed petitioner constructionDecided for petitioner

    “In the Institution Decision, the Board adopted Petitioner’s construction of the term “adaptor.” Inst. Dec. 9. Patent Owner does not dispute this construction. PO Resp. 13–14. During oral argument, Petitioner argued that claim 1 requires “an adapter to be ligated onto a target DNA, and that adapter needs to have two different sequences of DNA that are used for identification” including a “socalled identifier that's one to eight nucleotides in an indexing site.” Tr. 6:19–7:2. Patent Owner, again, did not dispute this characterization of “adaptor.” See generally Tr. Based on the entirety of the trial record, we continue to apply Petitioner’s construction of the term “adaptor,” although we note that it does not affect our analysis.” slip op. at 12

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element)UnpatentableUnpatentable

    “Based on the entirety of the trial record, we do not agree with Patent Owner’s reading of either the claims or the prior art because Patent Owner takes too narrow a view of both. First, based on the plain language of Porreca, we find it uses a combination of the sequence reads of the target sequence and differentiator tag sequences to determine whether there is duplication. See Ex. 1006 ¶¶ 139–140, 143, 148, 153. All that the claim requires is that the method identifies sequence reads with identical identifier and target sequences as duplicates. Because claim 1 contains the transition “comprising,” the claim is still satisfied if the category of identified duplicate reads contains identical labels and also contains more. Patent Owner admits that the identifier and target sequence do not have to be used simultaneously. Tr. 46:16–48:4. Instead, Patent Owner challenges whether Porreca uses the required elements in combination as recited in the challenged claims. Based on the record before us, we agree with Petitioner’s position especially in view of the open-ended nature of the claims and Patent Owner’s own admission that there is no temporal requirement for the use of target sequences and differentiator tag sequences. Specifically, we find that Porreca teaches using the combination of the target sequences and the differentiator tag sequence to determine whether particular sequence reads are unique or PCR duplicates. See Ex. 1006 ¶¶ 139–140, 143, 148, 153. The use of both such sequences meet the claim limitations. This finding is consistent with the prosecution history of the ’357 patent and how the applicant and examiner interpreted the claims. See Ex. 1013, 69–70, 78–79. Second, we find the disclosure of Porreca sufficient to demonstrate to an ordinarily skilled artisan that “collapsing” is done by comparing target sequences and differentiator tag sequences. Porreca specifically explains that: after multiple reads have been collected for a given locus, it is possible that due to bias (e.g., caused by PCR amplification steps), a large fraction of the reads are derived from a single originating molecule. This would skew the population of target sequences observed, and would affect the outcome of the genotype call.” slip op. at 30

  • Obviousness (§103) › Motivation to combine / reasonable expectation of successMotivation foundReasonable expectation foundDecided for petitioner

    “We do not agree with Patent Owner for at least two reasons. First, Patent Owner fails to address the fact that Schmitt cites to McCloskey 2007. We find that the citation of McCloskey 2007 in Schmitt indicates that the ordinarily skilled artisan would have considered the teachings of McCloskey to be highly relevant to the teachings of Schmitt and would have considered them to be both useful in the field of sequencing. See Ex. 1005 ¶ 6. Second, Patent Owner fails to explain or even identify the purported structural differences between Schmitt and McCloskey that would prevent the teachings of McCloskey from being relevant to Schmitt. In addition, we credit the testimony of Dr. Metzker that one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood the benefits of adding a barcode to target sequences and would have looked to McCloskey and the batch-stamps it teaches because both Schmitt and McCloskey are in the same field and address the same problems. See Ex. 1003 ¶¶ 110, 114. Accordingly, we find that Petitioner has demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that a person of ordinary skill in the art at the critical time would have had sufficient reason to combine the teachings of Schmitt and McCloskey to arrive at challenged claim 1.” slip op. at 48

  Patent outcomesUS 11,098,357 unpatentable
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 11,098,357
• Integrated Dna Technologies, Inc. v. Tecan Genomics, Inc.All claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Apr 8, 2026 · IPR2024-01504 · APJ Georgianna W Braden · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 1–4, 6, 7, 9, and 10 are unpatentable under § 102 over Bielas and § 103 over Iafrate and Kivioja and Bielas.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for patent owner

    “On the initial trial record, we agreed with Patent Owner that Petitioner’s asserted level of ordinary skill in the art is higher than warranted when Petitioner argues that a person of ordinary skill “further would have had specific experience with implementing and designing library preparation methods.” Pet. 21–22. We disagreed with Patent Owner, however, that an ordinarily skilled artisan only needs to “have had experience with DNA sequencing methods” (see Prelim. Resp. 8) because an artisan with experience based only on pre-NGS sequencing methods would not qualify as a person of ordinary skill. Instead, we found that a person of ordinary skill would have had either (1) a Ph.D. in the field of chemistry, molecular biology, or biochemistry or (2) a B.S. or M.S. degree with three to five years of experience working in any of those fields. Inst. Dec. 9. We specifically found that “[t]he person of ordinary skill would have had experience with NGS sequencing methods and a working knowledge of how those methods functioned.” Id.” slip op. at 10

  • Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Lexicography (patentee as own lexicographer)Term construed petitioner constructionDecided for petitioner

    “1. “indexing site” Petitioner argues that the ’357 patent defines “indexing site” as a sample index, specifically, “a nucleic acid sequence that acts as an index for multiple polynucleotide samples, thus allowing for the samples to be pooled together into a single sequencing run, which is known as multiplexing.” Pet. 23 (citing Ex. 1004, 4:40–44). Patent Owner did not disagree initially with Petitioner’s proposed construction other than to argue that no claim requires construction. Prelim. Resp. 9. In our Institution Decision, we noted that the ’357 patent states: An indexing site is a nucleic acid sequence that acts as an index for multiple polynucleotide samples, thus allowing for the samples to be pooled together into a single sequencing run, which is known as multiplexing. the ’357 patent to provide a definition for “indexing site,” and we construed the term in accordance therewith. The parties do not dispute this definition and we maintain that construction for our analysis here. See PO Resp. 9; Reply 6–14.” slip op. at 11

  • Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed board ownDecided for petitioner

    “In some embodiments, duplicate sequencing reads are differentiated from one another as being true duplicates versus apparent or perceived duplicates. Apparent or perceived duplicates may be identified from sequencing libraries and using conventional measures of duplicate reads (i.e., reads were mapped using bowtie), where all reads with the same start and end nucleic acid coordinates were counted as duplicates. True duplicates may be identified from sequencing libraries having had an identifier site introduced through ligation to differentiate between fragments of DNA that randomly have the same start and end mapping coordinates. Ex. 1004, 14:21–31; see id. at Fig. 5; see also Example 1, 18:6-15 (When evaluating two million random reads, the apparent duplicates were found to comprise 39% of all reads. However, the true duplicates, identified through The methods employing the use of an identifier site were found to considerably increase the resolution of the true number of duplicates within the pool of reads.). The ’357 patent also discloses in Example 5: “Any read that has identical sequence to any other read is identified as a duplicate and removed from the population, thus, only a single copy is retained within the file.” Ex. 1004, 20:60–62. Analyzing the patent disclosure in light of the parties’ arguments, we determine that “duplicates” in claim 1 of the ’357 patent means the sequences possess an identical sequence for both the identifier and the length of the sequence read that is obtained. Additionally, we agree with the parties that there is no temporal requirement for “identifying sequence reads” using the identifier and the target sequence, and the two do not have to be used simultaneously. Rather, based on both Examples 1 and 5 of the ’357 patent, the claims only require that the two data points be used for “identifying sequence reads.”” slip op. at 15

  • Claim Construction › Threshold & procedure › Whether a term needs construction (O2 Micro)Plain and ordinary meaningDecided for petitioner

    “4. “comprising” The Board preliminarily construed “comprising” as an open-ended transition that is not limited to the listed steps. See Inst. Dec. 13 (citing Vivid Techs., Inc., 200 F.3d at 811). Patent Owner agrees that the “comprising” transitional phrase of the challenged claims leaves open the possibility that additional steps can be included in the method, but argues that it should not “be interpreted so broadly as to effectively eliminate the step of identifying duplicates as claimed.” PO Resp. 18. Patent Owner argues that a “broad interpretation of the claims cannot be read to include a method in which the identifying duplicates step only identifies sequences with PCR or SBS errors and does not identify duplicates in the manner include only identification of reads without duplicate sequences (those that contain PCR or SBS errors) makes this limitation superfluous and cannot be the correct interpretation.” Id. Patent Owner argues that the proper construction of the claims (1) covers a method of identifying sequence reads that are identical as duplicates through a process that uses both the identifier and at least a portion of the target sequence, and (2) does not exclude methods that include a step of identifying PCR errors in addition to the claimed step of identifying duplicates. Id. at 19. Petitioner agrees with Patent Owner and states “[a]ll claim 1 requires is that two sequences are identified as duplicates using the claimed method, even if the method identifies as duplicates additional sequences that are not 100% identical.” Reply 14 (citing Ex. 1124, 55:11–57:3; Ex. 1117). The Board agrees with the parties and we construe “comprising” as an open-ended transition, meaning the claims require, but are not limited to, the listed steps.” slip op. at 16

  Patent outcomesUS 11,098,357 unpatentable
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 11,098,357
• Integrated Dna Technologies, Inc. v. Tecan Genomics, Inc.No claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Apr 6, 2026 · IPR2025-00016 · APJ Zhenyu Yang · IPR · Final written decision

  The Board found claims 1–3, 5–12, and 14–19 not shown unpatentable because Meyer did not disclose the claimed enrichment, which the obviousness grounds did not supply.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for patent owner

    “for purposes of this Decision, we find a POSA would have had a Ph.D. in the field of chemistry, molecular biology, or biochemistry. Alternatively, a POSA would have had a B.S. or M.S. degree with three to five years of experience working in any of those fields. Additionally, the POSA would have had knowledge of how those methods functioned. Id. at 12.” slip op. at 8

  • Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed patent owner constructionDecided for patent owner

    “As an initial matter, we acknowledge that the definition “to process so as to add or increase the proportion of a desirable ingredient” has two possible interpretations. In the first interpretation, “add or increase” shares the same object “the proportion of a desirable ingredient.” When the proportion of one ingredient goes higher, the proportion of at least another ingredient would necessarily go lower. Thus, the enrichment process under this interpretation results in a higher proportion of the desirable ingredient relative to other ingredients. Patent Owner adopts this interpretation. See PO Resp. 17 (“In the context of preparing a sequencing library, [Patent Owner] Tecan proposes that a nucleic acid sequence of interest is ‘enriched’ when the proportion of nucleic acid fragments containing the sequence of interest is increased relative to other nucleic acid fragments in the sample.”). According to Patent Owner, “amplifying the one or more oligonucleotide extension products . . . thereby enriching the nucleic acid sequence of interest, by generating amplified products comprising the enriched nucleic acid sequence of interest” in step (c) means “increas[ing] the proportion of the nucleic acid sequence of interest relative to the nucleic acid fragments in the solution not containing the sequence of interest by amplifying the oligonucleotide extension product and its complement.” Id. at 19–20. Under the second interpretation, the object for “add” is “a desirable ingredient,” whereas the object for “increase” is “the proportion of a desirable ingredient.” This interpretation is broader than the first one in that the result of the enrichment process not only encompasses a higher proportion of the desirable ingredient relative to other ingredients, but also more desirable ingredient in raw number.” slip op. at 11

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element)Not shown unpatentableNot shown unpatentable

    “We agree with Dr. Sims. As explained above, the amplification step must result in at least some enrichment of the sequence of interest, even though it does not have to be the only cause. See supra Section II.C.2.b. Indeed, Petitioner acknowledges that “at least some of the enrichment must result from the recited steps.” Reply 12. Because Meyer’s enrichment for mRNA using the SMART protocol occurred before any recited steps of claim 1, we find it does not meet the claimed “enrichment” under our construction.” slip op. at 22

  • Obviousness (§103) › Graham factors (scope of art, differences, level of skill)Not shown unpatentableNot shown unpatentable

    “shown that Meyer discloses step (c) of claim 1, and Petitioner does not address that limitation in this ground, we find Petitioner has not met its burden to show that claims 8, 17, and 18 would have been obvious over Meyer. F. Alleged Obviousness over Meyer and Siebert Claim 2 depends from claim 1, and further recites “the nucleic acid fragment comprises genomic DNA.” Petitioner asserts that claim 2 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer and Siebert. Pet. 62–65. Petitioner relies on Siebert for teaching the additional limitation recited in claim 2 only. Id. Because Petitioner has not shown that Meyer discloses step (c) of claim 1, and Petitioner does not rely on Siebert for teaching that limitation, we find Petitioner has not met its burden to show that claim 2 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer and Siebert.” slip op. at 34

  Patent outcomesUS 10,876,108 not shown unpatentable
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 10,876,108
• Integrated Dna Technologies, Inc. v. Tecan Genomics, Inc.No claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Apr 6, 2026 · IPR2025-00015 · APJ Zhenyu Yang · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 1–3 and 5–22 were not shown unpatentable because Meyer does not disclose the claimed enrichment, and the other grounds rely on Meyer for that limitation.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for patent owner

    “for purposes of this Decision, we find a POSA would have had a Ph.D. in the field of chemistry, molecular biology, or biochemistry. Alternatively, a POSA would have had a B.S. or M.S. degree with three to five years of experience working in any of those fields. Additionally, the POSA would have had experience with NGS sequencing methods and a working knowledge of how those methods functioned. Id. at 14. After institution, Patent Owner states that, for purposes of this proceeding, it adopts the Board’s definition of a POSA. PO Resp. 18. After reviewing the record developed during trial, we see no reason to change our finding on this issue. As we stated in the DI, our “definition of a POSA is consistent with the skill level reflected in the disclosures of the ’012 patent and prior art.” DI 14.” slip op. at 11

  • Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed patent owner constructionDecided for patent owner

    “to “enrich” means to “increase[] relative to the rest of the fragments.” Tr. 12:25–26. The panel asked: “In the starting material, there are three components, A, B, C, that say it’s 30 percent, 50 percent and 20 percent. You do PCR and it -- they all get amplified and the end result is still 30 percent, 50 percent, and 20 percent. Anything got enriched?” Id. at 12:18–21. Petitioner responded that “petitioner’s position is that in that situation, there is no enrichment.” Id. at 12:22–23. In other words, Petitioner does not disagree with Patent Owner that mere increase in the raw number is not enrichment. See also id. at 13:7–9 (“[W]e would agree that if it is truly unbiased amplification, that does not result in an increase in the proportion, and so that does not meet the plain meaning of enrich.”). We find the record, including the testimony from all three declarants, supports Patent Owner’s argument. See Sur-reply 1–5 (citing Ex. 1125, 283:1–6, 286:22–287:14; Ex. 1126, 170:18–171:1; Ex. 2037, 150:18–22, 173:15–17; Ex. 2038 ¶ 95), 8 (citing Ex. 1125, 271:10–15; Ex. 2037, 188:22–189:1). Thus, we adopt Patent Owner’s proposal that “a nucleic acid sequence of interest is ‘enriched’ when the proportion of nucleic acid fragments containing the sequence of interest is increased relative to other nucleic acid fragments in the sample.”9 See PO Resp. 19.” slip op. at 15

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element)Not shown unpatentableNot shown unpatentable

    “We agree with Dr. Sims. As explained above, the amplification step must result in at least some enrichment of the sequence of interest, even though it does not have to be the only cause. See supra Section II.C.2.b. Indeed, Petitioner acknowledges that “at least some of the enrichment must result from the recited steps.” Reply 12. Because Meyer’s enrichment for mRNA using the SMART protocol occurred before any recited steps of claim 1, we find it does not meet the claimed “enrichment” under our construction.” slip op. at 27

  • Obviousness (§103) › Graham factors (scope of art, differences, level of skill)Not shown unpatentableNot shown unpatentable

    “F. Alleged Obviousness over Meyer and Siebert Claim 2 depends from claim 1, and further recites “the nucleic acid fragment comprises genomic DNA.” Petitioner asserts that claim 2 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer and Siebert. Pet. 69–72. Petitioner relies on Siebert for teaching the additional limitation recited in claim 2 only. Id. Because Petitioner has not shown that Meyer discloses step (d) of claim 1, and Petitioner does not rely on Siebert for teaching that limitation, we find Petitioner has not met its burden to show that claim 2 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer and Siebert. G. Alleged Obviousness over Meyer and Kelley Claim 9 depends from claim 1, and further recites “the barcode sequence is 12 nucleotides in length.” Petitioner asserts that claim 9 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer and Kelley. Pet. 72–74. Petitioner relies on Kelley for teaching the additional limitation recited in claim 9 only. Id. Because Petitioner has not shown that Meyer discloses step (d) of claim 1, and Petitioner does not rely on Kelley for teaching that limitation, we find Petitioner has not met its burden to show that claim 9 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer and Kelley. H. Alleged Obviousness over Meyer, Caruccio, and Bronner Each of claims 15 and 17–19 depends from claim 1. Claim 15 further recites “the second strand of the partial duplex adaptor is ligated to a 3′ end of the nucleic acid fragment.” Claim 17 recites “[t]he method of claim 1, further comprising performing bridge amplification of the annealed strand after step e).” Claim 18 further recites “the sequencing comprises use of four labeled reversible terminators.” And claim 19 further recites “the sequencing comprises semiconductor sequencing.” Petitioner asserts that claims 15 and 17–19 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer, Caruccio, and Bronner. Pet. 75–80. Petitioner relies on Caruccio and Bronner for teaching the additional limitation recited in claims 15 and 17–19 only. Id. Because Petitioner has not shown that Meyer discloses step (d) of claim 1, and Petitioner does not rely on Caruccio and Bronner for teaching that limitation, we find Petitioner has not met its burden to show that claims 15 and 17–19 would have been obvious over the combination of Meyer, Caruccio, and Bronner.” slip op. at 38

  Patent outcomesUS 10,036,012 not shown unpatentable
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 10,036,012
• American Airlines, Inc. / Southwest Airlines Co. v. Intellectual Ventures II LLCInstitution denied
  PTAB · Nov 18, 2025 · IPR2025-00782 · APJ Ken B Barrett · IPR · Institution

  The Board denied institution because Petitioner did not show a reasonable likelihood that any challenged claim was unpatentable over the asserted grounds.

  RulingsInstitution decision

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

    “An inter partes review may not be instituted “unless . . . the information presented in the petition . . . shows that there is a reasonable likelihood that the petitioner would prevail with respect to at least 1 of the claims challenged in the petition.” 35 U.S.C. § 314(a). Having considered the arguments and evidence presented by Petitioner and Patent Owner, we determine that Petitioner has not demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one of the challenged claims of the ’469 patent. Accordingly, we do not institute an inter partes review of the challenged claims.” slip op. at 2

  • Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner

    “Petitioner contends that: [A] POSITA would have had at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, business information systems, software engineering, or systems engineering and at least two years of experience in computer networking or telecommunications. Ex.1002 ¶21; see also Ex.1001 (1:14-31). Additional education could substitute for professional experience. Ex.1002 ¶21. Significant work experience could substitute for formal education. Ex.1002 ¶21. Pet. 7–8. Patent Owner, at this stage, does not disagree or propose a different definition of the person of ordinary skill in the art. Petitioner’s definition is consistent with the level of ordinary skill reflected in the prior art references of record. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (recognizing that the prior art itself may reflect an appropriate level of skill in the art). For purposes of this decision, we apply Petitioner’s definition of the person of ordinary skill in the art.” slip op. at 9

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

    “Petitioner states that it “do[es] not believe explicit construction is required to resolve this Petition.” Pet. 7. Patent Owner proposes constructions for “Internet,” “access the Internet,” “subscriber access website.” Prelim. Resp. 12–15. On this record and for purposes of this decision, we determine that no claim terms require express construction. D. Alleged Anticipation of Claims 1, 2, 10, 11, and 24–28 by Bruner and” slip op. at 10

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element)Not shown unpatentable

    “We find Patent Owner’s argument to be persuasive. Petitioner does not explain adequately how Bruner discloses the positional requirement of a subscriber access unit being coupled between the satellite dish and the router. Accordingly, Petitioner has not shown sufficiently for purposes of institution that Bruner anticipates independent claim 24. Although, for the obviousness challenge, Petitioner contends that Clark discloses a wireless router (for limitation 24c), Petitioner relies solely on Bruner for the “between” limitation. See Pet. 17 (“Bruner and/or Bruner in view of Clark both disclose each limitation of claim 24c, including a router (e.g., Bruner’s ‘ADS’ and Clark’s ‘wireless router’)”); id. at 18–19 (the discussion of the “between” limitation 24d asserting that “Bruner discloses claim 24d,” with no mention of Clark). Furthermore, Petitioner merely asserts that both Bruner and Clark disclose a router. See id. at 17–18. Petitioner, however, does not indicate clearly which is used in the proposed combination, does not describe the configuration of a proposed combination or a proposed modification of Bruner’s system, and fails to set forth an adequate and persuasive reason with rational underpinning as to why a person of ordinary skill in the art would have modified Bruner’s system to arrive at the positional requirement of the subscription access unit being coupled between the satellite dish and a router. See id. at 13–14 (motivation section for this ground); id. at 18–19 (addressing the “between” limitation 24d). Accordingly, Petitioner has not shown a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on its challenge to independent claim 24 as obvious over Bruner in view of Clark.” slip op. at 14

  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 7,324,469
• Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC v. The Johns Hopkins UniversityAll claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Nov 17, 2025 · IPR2024-00648 · APJ Devon Zastrow Newman · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 1–30 are unpatentable: claims 1–2, 4–7, 9–12, 14–17, and 19–30 are anticipated by the MSI-H Study Record; claims 3, 8, 13, and 18 are obvious over the cited combinations.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed patent owner constructionDecided for patent owner

    “We agree with Patent Owner that the phrase “in response to” in claim 1 requires a causal relationship wherein the patient must be tested for MSI-H and, if he or she is determined to be MSI-H or dMMR, then the patient is treated with 10 mg/kg of pembrolizumab every 14 days. In claim 1, a biological sample from the patient must be tested to determine if the cancer is MSI-H and, if so, the patient is treated with a therapeutically effective amount of pembrolizumab. For this reason, if the prior art teaches the limitations of 1) testing a biological sample obtained from a patient having cancer to determine that the patient’s cancer is microsatellite instability high or mismatch repair deficient, and 2) treating the patient with a therapeutically effective amount of pembrolizumab if the patient’s cancer is determined to be microsatellite instability high or DNA mismatch repair deficient, the art anticipates claim 1. We are not persuaded that claim 1 requires or excludes anything else because nothing else is recited in the claim.” slip op. at 10

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Prior-art status of a reference › Printed publication / public accessibilityReference is prior artDecided for petitioner

    “Patent Owner does not direct us to evidence that it attempted to file any patent application before the publication date of the MSI-H clinical study and was denied an earlier filing date. Contrary to Patent Owner’s argument that it could not file a patent application without results from the MSI-H clinical study, we note that the inventors filed a provisional patent application on November 13, 2014, which, although also filed more than a year after the publication of the MSI-H clinical study, disclosed no clinical results or data. Ex. 1001, cover; Ex. 1030, 1. After considering the parties’ arguments, we are not persuaded by Patent Owner’s assertion that the inventors could not have filed an earlier application to at least attempt to secure a priority date before the MSI-H clinical study was publicly available. an earlier filing date. Instead, we are persuaded by Petitioner’s argument that because the MSI-H clinical study was published before the inventors filed an application to protect their patent rights the MSI-H clinical study is prior art for the information it discloses. Accordingly, we proceed to analyze Petitioner’s contentions in Ground 1.” slip op. at 24

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element)UnpatentableUnpatentable

    “the genus disclosed in the MSI Study Record and does not argue or provide evidence to show that one of ordinary skill in the art could have envisaged each species within that genus. PO Resp. 11–14. We are not persuaded that either the size of the genus in the MSI Study Record or whether one of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to envisage every species within it is dispositive of whether the MSI Study Record anticipates claim 1, where one of ordinary skill in the art would have known that specific cancers recited in claim 1 would be included in the MSI Study Record. As Petitioner argues, claim 1 requires that “a patient…selected from the group consisting of [the listed cancers]” be tested and treated. Pet. Reply 10 (emphasis original). Claim 1 does not require that the patient have each and every one of the sixteen listed cancers to anticipate the claim. Rather, claim 1 requires testing a sample from “a patient” with one of the recited types of cancer and treating the patient. See Brown v. 3M, 265 F.3d 1349, 1351 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (“When a claim covers several structures or compositions, either generically or as alternatives, the claim is deemed anticipated if any of the structures or compositions within the scope of the claim is known in the prior art.”).” slip op. at 31

  • Expert testimonyPetitioner expert creditedPatent owner expert discountedDecided for petitioner

    “In contrast, the testimony of Patent Owner’s witness, Dr. Goldberg, supports Petitioner’s argument of the knowledge in the art at the time, wherein Dr. Goldberg testifies that “[w]hile many clinical oncologists were aware that patients with Lynch Syndrome had a defect in DNA mismatch repair, they associated MSI testing with young onset colorectal and endometrial cancer and patients with a family history of colorectal and/or endometrial cancer.” Ex. 2090 ¶ 79. Similarly, during his deposition, Dr. Goldberg also agreed that endometrial, gastric, and small-bowel cancers would come to mind when he saw a reference to MSI-high non-colorectal cancer. See Ex. 1243, 115:5–116:22 (Q. And so does endometrial cancer come to mind when you see reference to MSI-high non-colorectal cancers? . . . A. Yes. Q. As . . . a person of skill in the field, when you see reference to MSI-high non-colorectal cancers, does gastric cancer come to mind? . . . A. comes to mind. So the answer is yes. Q. As a person of skill in the field, when you see reference to MSI-high non-colorectal cancers, does small bowel cancer come to mind? . . . A. Yes.”). Patent Owner does not direct us to other evidence contradicting Petitioner’s argument that MSI-H was known to occur in endometrial, small bowel, and gastric cancer. Pet. 18.” slip op. at 30

  Patent outcomesUS 11,643,462 unpatentable
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 11,643,462
• Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC v. The Johns Hopkins UniversityAll claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Nov 6, 2025 · IPR2024-00623 · APJ Devon Zastrow Newman · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 1–7 are unpatentable: claims 1–3 and 5–7 are anticipated by the MSI-H Study Record, and claim 4 is obvious over the MSI-H Study Record and other cited references.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Expert testimonyPetitioner expert creditedDecided for petitioner

    “On balance, we find Petitioner’s evidence more persuasive of what one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood from the MSI-H Study Record. We find Dr. Neugut’s and Dr. Oberstein’s testimony, and Dr. Lonberg’s lack of clear testimony to the contrary, persuasive as to this issue. In addition, we are not persuaded by the case law cited by Patent Owner regarding inherent anticipation. See PO Resp. 6–7. Rather, we agree with Petitioner that the correct inquiry is whether the skilled artisan would have understood that all limitations are disclosed in the prior art. See Pet. 34–35; Pet. Reply 12–13. In light of the cited testimony, we are persuaded that Petitioner has met its burden of proving that a skilled artisan would reasonably have understood or inferred that the limitation for a patient having received a prior cancer therapy drug to treat the tumor was disclosed in the MSI-Study Record. Petitioner demonstrates what one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood from the MSI-H Study Record, not what it inherently discloses. Contra PO Resp. 6–9.” slip op. at 22

  • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for petitioner

    “In light of the extent of the relevant field, we determine that the level of skill in the art relevant to the claims of the ’974 patent is not limited to knowledge of and experience with conducting research relating to oncology or developing and conducting clinical trials, but includes knowledge of and experience with treating cancer patients with immunotherapy compounds, identifying the conditions these patients may have, and understanding the literature regarding clinical trials for such colorectal cancers and the associated conditions and immunotherapy.” slip op. at 9

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Prior-art status of a reference › Printed publication / public accessibilityPrinted publication establishedDecided for petitioner
  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element)UnpatentableUnpatentable

  Patent outcomesUS 11,325,974 unpatentable
  § 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 11,325,974
• Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC v. The Johns Hopkins UniversityAll claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Nov 4, 2025 · IPR2024-00624 · APJ Sheridan K Snedden · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 1–4, 6–10, and 12–15 are unpatentable, principally because the MSI-H Study Record anticipates them.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for petitioner

    “Pet. 12 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶ 19). To Patent Owner, the ordinarily skilled artisan would have had a medical or graduate-level degree, or equivalent work experience, in the fields of immunology, genetics, or a related field and would have experience (i) conducting immunology research relating to oncology, (ii) conducting genetics research relating to oncology, or (iii) developing and conducting clinical trials on novel cancer therapies in those fields. PO Resp. 6 (citing Ex. 2072 ¶¶ 31–32, 86–94). Thus, Petitioner and Patent Owner characterize one of ordinary skill in the art differently. Petitioner emphasizes medical and treatment aspects in its characterization of an ordinarily skilled artisan, whereas Patent Owner emphasizes research aspects.” slip op. at 8

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

    “The parties do not assert constructions of any terms recited in the challenged claims other than that their ordinary and customary meanings should apply. Pet. 11–12; PO Resp. 6. We determine that no express construction of any claim term is necessary to resolve the dispute between the parties. Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co., 868 F.3d 1013, 1017 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (“[W]e need only construe 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)). We construe” slip op. at 7

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element)UnpatentableUnpatentable

    “record, we are persuaded that the results recited in claim 1 would follow from the steps taught in the MSR, for the reasons and based on the evidence Petitioner cites above. For these same reasons, we are unpersuaded by Patent Owner’s argument that it was unknown whether the amount of pembrolizumab recited in claim 1 would be effective in producing an improved outcome compared to a reference patient without a tumor that was not MSI-H or dMMR, and Patent Owner does not dispute that the amount of pembrolizumab disclosed in the MSR (10 mg/kg every 14 days; see Ex. 1005, 4) is the same as the amount provided in the ’975 patent as being effective (10 mg/kg every 14 days; Ex. 1001, 8:48–52, 13:50–52). Regardless of the inventors’ intent in publishing the MSR as a Stage II clinical trial on the www.clinicaltrials.gov website, as discussed above, we determine that the MSR teaches selecting a patient with a metastatic MSI-H or dMMR tumor and administering an amount of pembrolizumab that would be effective. See, e.g., Ex. 1005, 4 (Arms and Interventions). The result of drug treatment inherently follows its administration. The MSR does not merely suggest that pembrolizumab may be useful in some unidentified subset of patients or suggest that some unidentified drug may be useful for MSI-H cancer patients. Instead, the MSR discloses selecting a patient with a condition recited in claim 1 and treating with the drug at the amount recited in claim 1. Contra Metabolite Labs. Inc. v. Lab. Corp. of Am. Holdings, 370 F.3d 1354, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (holding that the prior art did not inherently anticipate where it failed to mention specific vitamin deficiencies, instead merely inviting further experimentation to find associations with metabolic perturbations). requirement, efficacy is inherent in carrying out the claim steps,” referring to a claimed method of treating or preventing stroke, which was held to be anticipated by the publication of a proposed study. 677 F.3d at 1381. Patent Owner attempts to distinguish the size and apparent surety of the study in Montgomery from the MSR. PO Resp. 15. But because we find that the MSR teaches performing the steps recited in claim 1 for the purpose of determining and treating MSI-H cancer, we are persuaded that the MSR inherently discloses the results of selection of patients and administration of the drug treatment recited in those steps. See Bristol-Myers, 246 F.3d at 1376. Whether or not the MSR could have provided results or was sufficient for full regulatory approval does not change that the MSR teaches Patent Owner’s claimed steps. We have no reason to doubt that the disclosure in the MSR of the steps recited in claim 1 produces the efficacy element required in claim 1, whether or not this efficacy was disclosed in the MSR or was known when it was published. See Mehl/Biophile, 192 F.3d at 1366 (“Where, as here, the result is a necessary consequence of what was deliberately intended, it is of no import that the article’s authors did not appreciate the results.”).” slip op. at 21

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Prior-art status of a reference › Printed publication / public accessibilityPrinted publication establishedDecided for petitioner

    “use that does not qualify as prior art. PO Resp. 18–25. Patent Owner argues that an inventor can be granted latitude to experiment in the public eye until her invention is ready for patenting. Id. at 18 (citing Pfaff v. Wells Elecs., Inc., 525 U.S. 55, 64 (1998). According to Patent Owner, the experimental use negation applies to the MSR under a 13-factor analysis provided in Allen Engineering Corp. v. Bartell Industries, Inc., 299 F.3d 1336, 1353 (Fed. Cir. 2002). PO Resp. 19–25. For example, Patent Owner argues that to establish that treatment of MSI-H cancers was effective, the inventors had to test treatment in humans, there being no animal models, and had to publish the MSR on the government website under federal law. Id. at 20–22. Patent Owner argues further that the inventors had control over the MSI-H clinical study and that the field of cancer treatment was highly unpredictable, among other facts. Id. at 21. Patent Owner argues that “[a]t the time of the MSR’s posting, the claimed invention was not, nor could it have been, ready for patenting. The clinical study that ultimately collected the data reported in the patent specification and supporting the patent claims had not and could not have commenced before the MSR was posted.” Id. at 23. sometimes said that an inventor acquires an undue advantage over the public by delaying to take out a patent, inasmuch as he thereby preserves the monopoly to himself for a longer period than is allowed by the policy of the law,” but held that “when the delay is occasioned by a bona fide effort to bring his invention to perfection, or to ascertain whether it will answer the purpose intended,” the experiment use exception can preserve the inventor’s rights. City of Elizabeth v. Am. Nicholson Pavement Co., 97 U.S. 126, 137 (1877). Because we are not persuaded that Patent Owner could not have filed an earlier application, we are not persuaded that the experimental use doctrine is properly applied in this case. Given that clinical trial protocols published on the ClinicalTrials.gov website have been successfully asserted as prior art in other cases, we are not persuaded by Patent Owner’s arguments that the MSR is not available as prior art against the challenged claims. See, e.g., Salix Pharms., Ltd. v. Norwich Pharms. Inc., 98 F.4th 1056, 1061 (Fed. Cir.), cert. denied, 145 S. Ct. 567 (2024), and cert. denied, 145 S. Ct. 983 (2024).” slip op. at 24

  Patent outcomesUS 11,325,975 unpatentable
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 11,325,975
• Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC v. The Johns Hopkins UniversityAll claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Oct 28, 2025 · IPR2024-00622 · APJ Sheridan K Snedden · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 1–28 are unpatentable: claims 1, 6–11, 13–20, 22–24, and 26–28 as anticipated by the MSI-H Study Record; claims 2–5, 12, 21, and 25 as obvious.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • BurdenUnpatentable

    “(“the claimed process here is not directed to a new use; it is the same use, and it consists of the same steps as described by [the prior art]. Newly discovered results of known processes directed to the same purpose are not patentable because such results are inherent.”). After analysis of the full record, we are persuaded that the results recited in claim 1 would follow from the steps taught in the MSR, for the reasons and based on the evidence Petitioner cites above. For these same reasons, we are unpersuaded by Patent Owner’s argument that it was unknown whether the amount of pembrolizumab recited in claim 1 would be effective in producing an improved outcome compared to a reference patient without a tumor that was not MSI-H or dMMR, and Patent Owner does not dispute that the amount of pembrolizumab disclosed in the MSR (10 mg/kg every 14 days; see Ex. 1005, 4) is the same as the amount provided in the ’356 patent as being effective (10 mg/kg every 14 days; Ex. 1001, 8:48–52, 13:50–52). Regardless of the inventors’ intent in publishing the MSR as a Stage II clinical trial on the www.clinicaltrials.gov website, as discussed above, we determine that the MSR teaches selecting a patient with a metastatic MSI-H or dMMR tumor and administering an amount of pembrolizumab that would be effective. See, e.g., Ex. 1005, 4 (Arms and Interventions). The result of drug treatment inherently follows its administration. The MSR does not merely suggest that pembrolizumab may be useful in some unidentified subset of patients or suggest that some unidentified drug may be useful for MSI-H cancer patients. Instead, the MSR discloses selecting a patient with a condition recited in claim 1 and treating with the drug at the amount recited in claim 1. Contra Metabolite Labs. Inc. v. Lab. Corp. of Am. Holdings, 370 F.3d 1354, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (holding that the prior art did not” slip op. at 22

  • Skill levelSkill level board ownDecided for petitioner

    “Petitioner and Patent Owner characterize one of ordinary skill in the art differently. To Petitioner, the ordinarily skilled artisan would have been a medical doctor, or a professional in a related field, with experience treating cancer or access to those with experience in clinical studies of therapeutics and to a pathologist with this experience. Pet. 11 (citing Ex. 1003 ¶ 19). To Patent Owner, the ordinarily skilled artisan would have had a medical or graduate-level degree, or equivalent work experience, in the fields of immunology, genetics, or a related field and would have experience (i) conducting immunology research relating to oncology, (ii) conducting genetics research relating to oncology, or (iii) developing and conducting clinical trials on novel cancer therapies in those fields. PO Resp. 5–6 (citing Ex. 2072 ¶¶ 31–32, 86–94). Petitioner emphasizes medical and treatment aspects in its characterization of an ordinarily skilled artisan, whereas Patent Owner emphasizes research aspects. The ’356 patent claims a method of treating a human patient with cancer having certain characteristics using pembrolizumab and the main prior art reference cited by Petitioner, MSR, discloses testing Ex. 1005. Accordingly, the relevant field of Patent Owner’s claims is treating human patients for cancer, as well as testing existing compounds for use in treatment modalities. In light of the extent of the relevant field, we determine that the level of skill in the art relevant to the claims of the ’356 patent is not limited to knowledge of and experience with conducting research relating to oncology or developing and conducting clinical trials, but includes knowledge of and experience with treating cancer patients with immunotherapy compounds, identifying the conditions these patients may have, and understanding the literature regarding clinical trials for such colorectal cancers and the associated conditions and immunotherapy.” slip op. at 9

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

    “The parties do not assert constructions of any terms recited in the challenged claims other than that their ordinary and customary meanings should apply. Pet. 10–11; PO Resp. 6. We determine that no express construction of any claim term is necessary to resolve the dispute between the parties. Nidec Motor Corp. v. Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co., 868 F.3d 1013, 1017 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (“[W]e need only construe 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)). We construe claims “in accordance with the ordinary and customary meaning of such history pertaining to the patent.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) (2020).” slip op. at 8

  • Novelty / Anticipation (§102) › Anticipation standard (single reference, every element) › Inherent disclosureInherency foundUnpatentable

    “(“the claimed process here is not directed to a new use; it is the same use, and it consists of the same steps as described by [the prior art]. Newly discovered results of known processes directed to the same purpose are not patentable because such results are inherent.”). After analysis of the full record, we are persuaded that the results recited in claim 1 would follow from the steps taught in the MSR, for the reasons and based on the evidence Petitioner cites above. For these same reasons, we are unpersuaded by Patent Owner’s argument that it was unknown whether the amount of pembrolizumab recited in claim 1 would be effective in producing an improved outcome compared to a reference patient without a tumor that was not MSI-H or dMMR, and Patent Owner does not dispute that the amount of pembrolizumab disclosed in the MSR (10 mg/kg every 14 days; see Ex. 1005, 4) is the same as the amount provided in the ’356 patent as being effective (10 mg/kg every 14 days; Ex. 1001, 8:48–52, 13:50–52). Regardless of the inventors’ intent in publishing the MSR as a Stage II clinical trial on the www.clinicaltrials.gov website, as discussed above, we determine that the MSR teaches selecting a patient with a metastatic MSI-H or dMMR tumor and administering an amount of pembrolizumab that would be effective. See, e.g., Ex. 1005, 4 (Arms and Interventions). The result of drug treatment inherently follows its administration. The MSR does not merely suggest that pembrolizumab may be useful in some unidentified subset of patients or suggest that some unidentified drug may be useful for MSI-H cancer patients. Instead, the MSR discloses selecting a patient with a condition recited in claim 1 and treating with the drug at the amount recited in claim 1. Contra Metabolite Labs. Inc. v. Lab. Corp. of Am. Holdings, 370 F.3d 1354, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (holding that the prior art did not” slip op. at 22

  Patent outcomesUS 10,934,356 unpatentable
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 10,934,356
• Toyota Motor Corp. v. Emerging Automotive LLCSome claims unpatentable
  PTAB · Oct 21, 2025 · IPR2024-00786 · APJ Frances L Ippolito · IPR · Final written decision

  Claims 10, 11, 13–16 were held unpatentable: claims 10, 11, 13, 15, and 16 as anticipated by Xiao, and claim 14 as obvious over Xiao and Singh.

  RulingsFinal written decision

  • Claim Construction › Intrinsic evidence (Phillips canons) › Plain and ordinary meaning to a POSITATerm construed patent owner constructionDecided for patent owner

    “arguments, we agree with Patent Owner’s proposed construction that requires the server to conduct a compatibility check. We start with the express claim language. Claim 10 recites: determining, by the server, applicable settings for the selected vehicle, the applicable settings being settings that are preferred to be set as identified from the user profile and are compatible with settings that are settable in the selected vehicle. Ex. 1001, 33:10–14 (emphases added). The express claim language requires that the server determine applicable settings. Those applicable settings, determined by the server, must also be compatible with vehicle settings. As such, the plain and ordinary meaning of the claim language expressly requires that the server make a determination of applicable settings that are defined as being compatible with vehicle settings.” slip op. at 14

  • Skill levelSkill level petitioner adoptedDecided for petitioner

    “Petitioner contends that a person of ordinary skill in the art (“POSITA”) at the time of the invention of the ’268 patent “would have had at least a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or closely related field, with at least two-to-four-years-experience in cloud services for settings customization, or a Master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or equivalent.” Pet. 12 (citing Ex. 1009 ¶ 82). Patent Owner does not address the level of ordinary skill in the art. See, generally PO Resp. For purposes of this Decision, we adopt Petitioner’s proposal because it is reasonable and consistent with the prior art. See Okajima v. Bourdeau, 261 F.3d 1350, 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (the prior art may reflect an appropriate level of skill in the art).” slip op. at 12

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

    “However, contrary to Dr. Almeroth’s testimony and Petitioner’s position, Xiao’s server already does not attempt to command vehicles to do things they cannot do. Xiao teaches that server 118 generates commands for command codes that exist and are settable in the vehicle. Ex. 1010 ¶¶ 102– 103. As such, if there is no corresponding automobile setting, then Xiao’s server would not list those command codes for retrieval and would not send a command based on that retrieved command code to control the automobile systems to achieve the operator’s desired settings because that command code is not in the database. Our understanding of Xiao is further supported by Dr. Almeroth’s testimony: By listing them in the table of automobile command code information 606, Xiao shows that there are particular settings compatible with particular automobiles and particular desired settings. Thus, Xiao demonstrates the necessarily present characteristic that certain settings (e.g., commands) are compatible with certain automobiles. Ex. 1009 ¶ 96 (emphases added). We note that Dr. Malek further explains “the nonsensical result achieved by the combination would be that Xiao’s server, at best, in response to the command request issued by the operator, could ‘look up’ a command code to apply a vehicle-specific setting to that automobile 112, only to find that there is ‘none.’” We agree with Dr. Malek that there is a “None” command code in Xiao’s database when Xiao’s database already stores settings that are known to be settable in a specific vehicle per the operator’s preferences. Ex. 2011 ¶ 135. Thus, based on the complete record, we determine that Petitioner has not demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that Xiao in combination with Hayashi render claim 10 obvious.” slip op. at 79

  • BurdenNot shown unpatentable

    “Anticipation is not an ipsissimis verbis test, but “[a] claim is anticipated only if each and every element as set forth in the claim is found, either expressly or inherently described, in a single prior art reference.” Verdegaal, 814 F.2d at 631. Petitioner and Dr. Almeroth both acknowledge that Xiao discloses operators on the same account. Pet. 40–41; Ex. 1009 ¶ 170. But Petitioner and Dr. Almeroth do not explain sufficiently how Xiao discloses these operators have sub-user accounts. Petitioner further contends Xiao discloses plurality of accounts. Pet. Reply 18–19 (citing Ex. 1024, 33:1–44:10, 45:22–46:2); Ex. 1010 ¶ 65. Again, Petitioner has not adequately explained how the plurality of accounts includes sub-user accounts because Xiao discloses generally that multiple operators of a vehicle are on the same, single account. Ex. 1010 ¶ 66.” slip op. at 65

  Patent outcomesUS 9,171,268 mixed
  Claim construction§ 102 anticipation§ 103 obviousnesscites Phillips · KSR · Graham
  Patents in suitUS 9,171,268

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.