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  • PTAB · Feb 28, 2025 · PGR2024-00014 · APJ Barry L Grossman · PGR · Adverse judgment

    The Board granted Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment against itself and held claims 33–36 unpatentable.

    RulingsAdverse judgment
    • Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentGranted

      “October 25, 2024, from counsel for Patent Owner, Patent Owner requested authorization to file “a request for adverse judgment against itself under 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b).” Ex. 3003 (emphases added). Our Rule 42.73(b) states “A party may request judgment against itself at any time during a proceeding.” The Board granted Patent Owner’s request. Ex. 3003. Patent Owner then filed its “Request for Adverse Judgment Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b).” Paper 11 (Request for Adverse Judgment). This Request, however, stated, in error, that Patent Owner requested “adverse judgment against Petitioner on claims 33-36, pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(4).” Id. (emphases added). Our Rule 42.73(b)(4) concerns “[a]ctions construed to be a request for adverse judgment.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(4) (emphasis added). Subsection (b)(4) states one of the actions construed to be a request for adverse judgment is “[a]bandonment of the contest.” Id. The actions construed to be a request for adverse judgment, however, are never reached when a party states unequivocally that it requests “judgment against itself.” that the Request for Adverse Judgement is seeking adverse judgment against itself, not Petitioner. Id. As stated in the title of Patent Owner’s Request for Adverse Judgment, we consider this request under our Rule 42.73(b). As corrected, the Request seeks a “final adverse judgment against [Patent Owner] on claims 33-36,” which are all the challenged claims. Thus, claims 33–36 are held to be unpatentable. 1” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 11,781,703
  • PTAB · Dec 28, 2023 · IPR2021-00263 · APJ Russell E Cass · IPR · Adverse judgment

    The Board entered adverse judgment against Patent Owner on claims 1–11 because Patent Owner cancelled all challenged claims in a co-pending reexamination.

    RulingsAdverse judgment
    • RehearingRehearing, grantedGranted

      “After our Denial Decision, the Director issued an Interim Procedure for Discretionary Denials in AIA Post-Grant Proceedings with Parallel District Court Litigation (“Interim Fintiv Guidance”)1, directing that “[t]he PTAB will not discretionarily deny petitions based on applying Fintiv to a 1 The Interim Fintiv Guidance is available at https://www.uspto.gov/ sites/default/files/documents/interim_proc_discretionary_denials_ aia_parallel_district_court_litigation_memo_20220621_.pdf. parallel ITC proceeding.” Interim Fintiv Guidance, 7. Following the Federal Circuit’s decision, we conducted a conference call with counsel for the parties and allowed the parties to submit additional briefing to address the status of the case, the status of any related proceedings, the Interim Fintiv Guidance, and any actions that should be taken by the panel at this point concerning this proceeding. Papers 16–18. After considering the parties’ arguments, we granted Petitioner’s Request for Rehearing on February 8, 2023, concluding that, in light of the Interim Fintiv Guidance, exercising discretion to deny institution under 35 U.S.C. § 314(a) was not warranted in this case. Paper 19, 5–12. We also determined that Petitioner had demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of success in proving that the challenged claims were unpatentable, and instituted an inter partes review of claims 1–11 of the ’317 patent with respect to all grounds set forth in the Petition. Id. at 12–37.” slip op. at 2

    • Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentGranted

      “(b) Request for adverse judgment. A party may request judgment against itself at any time during a proceeding. Actions construed to be a request for adverse judgment include: . . . (2) Cancellation or disclaimer of a claim such that the party has no remaining claim in the trial. 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b). In the ’074 Reexam, Patent Owner cancelled all of challenged claims 1–11, and the USPTO has issued a Reexamination Certificate indicating that these claims are cancelled. Ex. 2100, 2; Ex. 1046, 1:15. The Board has previously construed a patent owner’s cancellation in a reexamination of all claims challenged in a pending IPR as a request for adverse judgment under § 42.73(b). See Tarsco Bolted Tank Inc. v. Tank Connection, LLC, IPR2016-01634, Paper 16 at 2 (PTAB Aug. 24, 2017) (“Cancellation of claims 1–11” in an ex parte reexamination “is construed as a request for adverse judgment” in the corresponding IPR proceeding.); Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC v. Signal IP, Inc., IPR2015-00941, Paper 21 at 2–3 (PTAB Apr. 14, 2016) (“Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b), we construe cancellation of all claims involved in this proceeding” in “a concurrent Reexamination of the” patent at issue “as a request for adverse judgment.”). We agree with the prior decisions in Tarsco and Mercedes-Benz that a patent owner’s cancellation of all challenged claims in an IPR in a co-pending ex parte reexamination is properly construed as a request for adverse judgment under 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b). Consequently, we construe Patent Owner’s cancellation of all of the claims challenged in this IPR in the ’074 Reexam as a request for adverse judgment.” slip op. at 5

    None
    Patents in suitUS 10,600,317
  • PTAB · Jun 3, 2016 · IPR2015-01795 · APJ William V Saindon · IPR · Adverse judgment

    The Board granted Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment and ordered cancellation of claims 1–4 of the ’386 patent.

    RulingsAdverse judgment
    • Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentGranted

      “II. DISCUSSION A party may request entry of adverse judgment against itself at any time during a proceeding. 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b). Also, under 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(2), actions construed as a request for entry of adverse judgment include cancellation of a claim such that the party has no remaining claim in the trial. Here, Patent Owner has requested cancellation of all the claims identified for trial and expressly requested entry of adverse judgment. Paper 14. Patent Owner’s requests for cancellation of claims 1–4 of the ’386 patent and for entry of adverse judgment are granted.” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 8,647,386
  • PTAB · Jun 3, 2016 · IPR2015-01749 · APJ William V Saindon · IPR · Adverse judgment

    The Board granted Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment and ordered claim 5 canceled after institution of trial.

    RulingsAdverse judgment
    • Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentGranted

      “II. DISCUSSION A party may request entry of adverse judgment against itself at any time during a proceeding. 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b). Also, under 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(2), actions construed as a request for entry of adverse judgment include cancellation of a claim such that the party has no remaining claim in the trial. Here, Patent Owner has requested cancellation of all the claims identified for trial and expressly requested entry of adverse judgment. Paper 14. Patent Owner’s requests for cancellation of claim 5 of the ’853 patent and for entry of adverse judgment are granted.” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 7,204,853
  • PTAB · Dec 11, 2015 · IPR2015-00605 · APJ Ken B Barrett · IPR · Adverse judgment

    The Board granted Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment and ordered claims 1–8 canceled.

    RulingsAdverse judgment
    • Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentGranted

      “A party may request judgment against itself at any time during a proceeding. 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b). Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(4), “[a]bandonment of the contest” is construed as a request for adverse judgment. Accordingly, we interpret Patent Owner’s Notice as a request for adverse judgment. Under these circumstances, the entry of judgment adverse to the Patent Owner and cancellation of the claims is appropriate. Accordingly, it is: ORDERED that Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment under 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b) with respect to claims 1–8 of U.S. Patent No. 6,837,551 B2 is granted; and FURTHER ORDERED that claims 1–8 of U.S. Patent No. 6,837,551 B2 shall be canceled.” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 6,837,551
  • PTAB · May 22, 2015 · IPR2014-01342 · APJ Patrick M Boucher · IPR · Adverse judgment

    The Board granted Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment and entered judgment against Patent Owner on claims 1–4 after disclaimer of all claims in the proceeding.

    RulingsAdverse judgment
    • Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentGranted

      “On May 12, 2015, Patent Owner filed an executed disclaimer of claims 1–4, i.e. all of the claims involved in this proceeding, with a representation that the disclaimer “will be electronically filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.” Paper 19. The disclaimer is construed as a request for adverse judgment. 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(2) (“Actions construed to be a request for adverse judgment include . . . disclaimer of a claim such that the party has no remaining claim in the trial”). The request is granted. Accordingly, it is ORDERED that Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment is granted; and FURTHER ORDERED that judgment is herein entered against Patent Owner with respect to claims 1–4.” slip op. at 1

    None
    Patents in suitUS 8,004,497
  • PTAB · Mar 24, 2014 · IPR2013-00605 · APJ Richard E Rice · IPR · Adverse judgment

    The Board granted Patent Owner’s request for adverse judgment after it disclaimed sole challenged claim 23.

    RulingsAdverse judgment
    • Adverse judgmentAdverse judgmentGranted

      “Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b), a party may request judgment against itself at any time during a proceeding. Actions construed to be a request for adverse judgment include disclaimer of a claim such that the party has no remaining claim in the trial. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(2). As claim 23 of the ’229 patent is the only claim challenged (Paper 3 at 2, 4), and claim 23 has been disclaimed, Patent Owner has no remaining claim in this inter partes review. Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that Patent Owner’s request for judgment against itself under 37 C.F.R. § 42.73(b)(2), with respect to claim 23 of U.S. Patent No. 7,749,229 B1, is GRANTED; and” slip op. at 2

    None
    Patents in suitUS 7,749,229

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