by John Evans, Ph.D. | Oct 4, 2019 | Design Patents, Federal Circuit Appeal
By Kerry Barrett and John Evans Design patent obviousness requires a heavy threshold burden of proof. Challengers have to find a “primary reference,” i.e., prior art that has “basically the same” design characteristics as the claimed design. Below is an example of...
by John Evans, Ph.D. | Sep 13, 2019 | PTAB News
By Kerry Barrett and John Evans Inter partes review (“IPR”) proceedings often arise in the context of high-stakes patent infringement litigation, and district courts frequently stay litigation pending parallel IPRs, which may fully resolve a patent-in-suit’s...
by John Evans, Ph.D. | Aug 21, 2019 | 325(d) issues, Prior Art Issues
By John Evans and Dave Cochran The most persuasive IPR petitions offer fresh unpatentability theories never considered before. But petitions that simply repackage old issues often don’t gain traction. So, when you’re citing prior art that was before the Examiner...
by John Evans, Ph.D. | Jul 30, 2019 | PGR
By John Evans and Kerry Barrett The PTAB’s recent decision instituting post-grant review of a design patent in Man Wah Holdings Ltd. v. Raffel provides interesting perspectives on how design patent invalidity theories work. This decision highlights the subtle...
by John Evans, Ph.D. | Jul 16, 2018 | Final Written Decisions
By: John C. Evans, Ph.D. and Aryane GaransiAchilles Heel Like utility patents, design patent validity can be challenged in inter partes review (“IPR”) proceedings. Nonetheless, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB” or the “Board”) tends to reach different results...