Now More than Ever, Petitioners and Patent Owners Must Consider the Impact of Amendments in IPR
The USPTO has received considerable criticism over the years because it was historically difficult to amend claims in an IPR proceeding. In response to that criticism, the Patent Office started a Pilot Program that will give a patent owner two chances to amend its claims. The Pilot Program began on March 14, 2019, and applies to every IPR proceeding instituted on or after that date. Petitioners should now carefully consider the impact of this “second chance at life” provided by the Pilot Program.
PTAB Designates Three Decisions Precedential
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) today designated three decisions precedential: K-40 Electronics, LLC v. Escort, Inc., DePuy Synthes Products, Inc. v. MEDIDEA, LLC, and Amazon.com, Inc. v. Uniloc Luxembourg S.A..
Precedential Opinion Panel (POP) Issues Decision in Proppant Express Investments v. Oren Technologies
The Precedential Opinion Panel (POP) concluded that 35 U.S.C. § 315(c) provides discretion to allow a petitioner to be joined to a proceeding in which it is already a party and provides discretion to allow joinder of new issues into an existing proceeding.
Scott Boalick Appointed Chief Judge of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced today the appointment of Scott Boalick as Chief Judge for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Boalick has served as the acting Chief Judge for the PTAB since September 2018.
