The Patent Lawyer

In the suit DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB & ANR. v. LAVA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (CS(COMM) 350/2024 with I.As.) before the Delhi High Court, the Plaintiff is a patent holder for a representative group of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs), including three active patents...

Patent lawyers watching the Apple v. Masimo case unfold at the Federal Circuit are seeing a live example of key issues in US patent enforcement. These include the scope of ITC exclusion orders, the role of product design in infringement analysis, and the growing trend...

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has today launched a consultation on potential measures to address challenges in the UK's Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) ecosystem. A patent that protects technology that is essential to implementing a technical standard...

If predicting the future were easy, most readers of The Patent Lawyer would be using their powers to buy lottery tickets, not keeping abreast of global patent law updates. Predicting the future, however, is precisely the task attorneys are faced with when drafting a...

As software systems become central to business innovation, trade secret law is crucial for protecting them. The need to protect software and algorithms presents unique challenges for businesses that have long relied on patent protection. The nature of software often...

This article discusses an appeal filed by Kroll Information Assurance, LLC (Appellant), against the order of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks (CG). The appeal concerns the refusal of an Indian Patent Application No. 8100/DELNP/2007 for a...

French industrial group selects Anaqua software and services to streamline patent and trademark management processes BOSTON, December 1, 2020 – Anaqua, the leading provider of innovation and intellectual property management solutions, today announced that France’s...

In October 2020, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent to Spotify, a global music streaming platform, for ‘methods and systems for personalizing user experience based on personality traits’. Spotify had filed the patent application...

Amendments to the Ukrainian Law on Protection of Rights to Inventions and Utility Models entered into force on August 16, 2020. The most important changes are explained below. Utility Model and Patent Subject Matter The amendments limit the utility model subject...

The EPO Board of Appeal has now issued its written decision in T 844/18 confirming the revocation of EP-B-2771468, an important CRISPR patent belonging to the Broad Institute, MIT and Harvard. The case was being widely followed due to the priority entitlement issues...

Munich, Germany 4th November: EIP has secured a significant victory for client Conversant Wireless in Germany. EIP successfully asserted a Standard Essential Patent (SEP) for Conversant against Stuttgart carmaker Daimler in a dispute that will have repercussions...

Hyperion Research’s MarketViewTM recognizes Anaqua as a market leader, highly innovative, and setting industry standards. BOSTON, November 10, 2020 – Anaqua’s flagship AQX® platform has been rated the top IP management solution in the newly published Hyperion...

In response to the rising demand for milk alternatives, some companies are turning to microbes rather than plants to make a product that is essentially the same as cow’s milk.  As well as avoiding the environmental and animal-welfare concerns over dairy farming, milk...

Dallas –  is pleased to announce that Aimee Fagan and Phillip Aurentz have joined the firm as partners in the Dallas office. Ms. Fagan and Mr. Aurentz will be members of the global Intellectual Property (IP) Litigation practice. Both Ms. Fagan and Mr. Aurentz join...

LOT Network releases detailed report on its breadth of protections across software, automotive, electronics and other high-tech industries   PHOENIX (OCTOBER 28, 2020) - LOT Network Inc., the leading international community of high-tech companies protecting against...

On 16 October 2020, in the decision of Crown Melbourne Limited [2020] APO 47, the Australian Patent Office refused a patent application by casino owner Crown Melbourne Ltd for a new roulette table layout after it found that the new layout did not provide any...

More than four in five gamers who do not currently play cloud games say they will start cloud gaming in the next twelve months London, UK, October 20, 2020 — Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CCC), a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace...

In a not unexpected decision, the Supreme Court (SC) granted cert to hear the Athrex v. Smith and Nephew, Inc. case on October 13, 2020 on two questions.  The first question is whether the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) judges are “principal” officers needing...

The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is the first database of its kind in India. It is being used to document and protect traditional Indian knowledge of medicinal practices, from misappropriation and monopolization by corporate entities and foreign...

  Jonathan Foster, Appleyard Lees trainee patent attorney, is raising awareness of and working to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness. Jonathan is working with the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and Jonathan’s voice, an organisation...

First UK-headquartered video and pay-TV solutions provider to join the non-profit community London – October 8, 2020 – Synamedia, the world’s largest independent video software provider, today announced it has joined the global non-profit organization LOT Network as a...

Content of packaging is neither part of the industrial design, nor does it extend the protection conferred on the design. The CJEU has put an end to the saga of invalidity of Registered Community Designs for sprats in transparent packaging (C-199/20 and C-200/20) by...

Clarivate Completes Acquisition of CPA Global to Form a Global Intellectual Property Powerhouse Creates end-to-end solution covering the entire intellectual property, science and innovation lifecycle Clarivate reaffirms standalone 2020 financial outlook London, U.K.,...

One-stop platform offers small business community access to insightful information and connections to help facilitate the startup process Leading intellectual property firm, Mathys & Squire has announced the launch of its Scaleup Quarter, a one-stop microsite...

Gallagher’s appointment demonstrates the Company’s commitment to building a world-class intellectual property portfolio AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Genprex, Inc. (“Genprex” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing...

China’s National Medical Products Administration proposes implementing rules on Patent Linkage for public comments The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) recently published the draft Measures for Implementing an Early-Stage Resolution Mechanism for...

Federal Court Overturns Patent Appeal Board on Test for Patent Eligibility of Computer Implemented Inventions in Choueifaty v. Canada For nine years, since the Federal Court of Appeal handed down its decision in Amazon.com Inc. v Canada (Commissioner of Patents), 2011...

LOT NETWORK AND AST BRING MORE PATENT MITIGATION RISK OPTIONS TO LOT NETWORK MEMBERS LOT Network members to have opportunity to acquire select AST patent portfolios PHOENIX, ARIZONA -- September 8, 2020 -- The world’s two largest non-profit organizations offering...

  This year we have had big changes around the world that have changed the way we work. However, thinking of positive changes, Mexico has issued a new IP Law that will strengthen IP rights. This new Law will replace entirely the current Mexican Industrial...

Questel announces the acquisition of RenewalsDesk, a UK-based company specializing in patent annuity services. RenewalsDesk was founded in 2013 by a patent owner who discovered high hidden fees with their former provider, with a mission to bring honesty and...

Leading intellectual property firm Mathys & Squire LLP has announced the promotion of attorneys David Hobson, Juliet Redhouse and Andrew White to the partnership. The firm now has 30 partners and 10 offices across the UK and Europe. Working in the life sciences...

The judgment by the UK Supreme Court in the dispute between Unwired Planet, Huawei et al, covering two appeals by cell phone manufacturers (implementers) of wireless technologies, is a landmark case in the area of Standard Essential Patents (“SEPs”) and FRAND...

The canny entrepreneur should have a solid understanding of the importance of IP. Here, Josh Gerben, founder of Gerben Law Firm, PLLC, explains the three different types of patents available to inventors in the US, and outlines how to apply for them. A patent is a...

In a significant move, Clarivate has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to combine with CPA Global. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020. CPA Global currently provides IP management and technology solutions to more than...

In a bid to address the diverse needs of today’s global law firms, IP management software company Anaqua has launched a new Anaqua Law Firms business unit and announced three senior hires. The move, says Anaqua, underscores the company’s commitment to the law firm...

In the latest in a series of steps intended to bring calm to the US IP landscape in the face of coronavirus, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has launched a “COVID-19 Response Resource Center” to “provide stakeholders and other interested parties...

In what, with hindsight, seems like an obvious innovation in our socially distanced, locked down age, California tech giant Apple has successfully applied for a US patent for “synthetic group selfies”. Apple’s patent, granted on 2 June by the USPTO, covers the...

International IP firm Rouse and Life Sciences services provider Codex have announced a collaboration that is intended to support life sciences companies accessing the Chinese market. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has intensified the global search for treatments,...

The inventor of a ground-breaking COVID-19 test described his “eureka moment” when he realized he could adapt existing tech to create a rapid virus test. Professor Chris Toumazou is the co-founder of DnaNudge, which produces App technology that uses DNA and lifestyle...

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has asked for comments on its proposal to fast-track patent applications relating to COVID-19 – a so-called Prioritized Examination Pilot Program (PEPP). In a statement released on its website, the USPTO says that...

Despite, or maybe because of recent high-profile blows to the planned implementation of such a system, EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton has once again called upon Member States to move forward with a unified EU patent. Breton’s call comes at a time when...

The annual world health assembly, the forum through which the World Health Organization (WHO) is governed and an event which involves almost every country in the world, began (via videolink) on 18 May. At the top of the agenda is, of course, the current COVID-19...

With it currently being Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24 May), legal mental health charity LawCare has released data on all the COVID-19 related contacts it has received to date. In total, 48 legal professionals have contacted the charity with issues related to...

The 2020 KnowIt annual event, to which The Patent Lawyer is the official media partner, is currently Livestreaming from 10 am EST until May 13. This three-day event aims to bring together the community of creators and protectors of intellectual property and other...

The Patent Lawyer is partnering with Fellows and Associates to bring you the 9th Annual Patent and Trademark Attorney Salary Survey 2020. This survey aims to analyze the current remuneration packages available for Patent and Trademark Attorneys. As such, all...

A new WIPO report, released to coincide with World IP Day on Sunday 26 April, has highlighted the fact that innovation in environmentally friendly technologies as measured by international patent applications barely rose in 2019, prompting a call from WIPO Director...

With World IP Day 2020 celebrating the theme of a greener future, when it comes to innovation in green technology, it is not just the major corporations that are making the difference. A lot of smaller entities are also working on technologies that could have a...

The British government has announced that UK firms manufacturing ventilators for use in combating the COVIC-19 pandemic will be protected by the government from the financial impact of potential legal claims arising over intellectual property infringements or personal...

Leading global children’s entertainment company, Spin Master, has won a major victory in a long-running patent dispute against one of the most prominent toy producers in China, resulting in the largest damages ever awarded to a foreign patent owner. In a first...

In light of current global events, and in line with many other jurisdictions, the Indian Supreme Court has extended the limitation period for the filing of suits, appeals, and applications in all proceedings before any court, tribunal, or authority in India. The...

In a decisive and damaging blow for the Irish pharmaceutical giant, a US Federal Court decision has ruled that six patents owned by Amarin Corporation, and used in its successful drug VASCEPA, are invalid. VASCEPA, a treatment for cardiovascular disease originally...

The future of Europe’s Unified Patent Court (UPC) seems increasingly in doubt. First, the British Government confirmed that it would not seek membership of the Court following Brexit, and now Germany’s intended involvement has been deemed “unconstitutional”. The UPC...

Given the enormous, and growing, disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Patent Office (EPO) has taken the decision to extend all deadlines for application until 17 April 2020. The decision was announced in a Notice dated 17 March, which stated that...

The recently published European Patent Office (EPO) Patent Index 2019 Annual Report contains various headline findings, including: A 4% annual growth in the number of EPO patent applications in 2019. EPO States now account for 45% of patent applications (with Germany,...

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the British Government has confirmed that it will not be seeking membership of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) following Brexit. Publishing its negotiating objectives for any future relationship between the UK and the EU, the Government has also...

Following claims that it stole trade secrets, US mobile video platform Quibi, founded in 2018 by Jeffrey Katzenberg and due to launch on 6 April, has launched legal proceedings against tech company Eko, denying patent infringement and stating that the latter “embarked...

According to the latest Derwent Top 100 Global Innovators report, released by Clarivate Analytics, the emergence of market disrupters is fragmenting the global patent landscape and diluting the invention market share of leading innovators. Rapid change has seen large...

In what represents an enormous, and expensive, blow for Apple, the US Supreme Court has declined to consider the tech giant’s appeal from a recent Court of Appeal decision, in which it was held that Apple could not proceed with patent invalidation claims against...

Controversial Irish patent-holding company Neodron has launched a patent infringement action against Apple in the US District Court, claiming that four of its patents have been used without permission by Apple in the capacitive touchscreens used in Apple's iPhone 11...

The total number of patents granted in the United States has been more-or-less static over the last five years. However, that trend came seemed to come to an end last year. New 2019 USPTO patent statistics analysis, carried out using Anaqua’s AcclaimIP patent search...

The World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) is currently undertaking a public consultation on AI and IP, seeking comments from interested parties on the likely impact of AI on IP law and practice. Saiful Khan, partner and specialist electronics and computing patent...

It has been nearly ten years since Apple and VirnetX first locked horns in patent litigation. VirnetX, a Nevada-based security technology company, holds patents for tech used in secure communications – patents that, VirnetX has alleged in proceedings against both...

A California jury has ruled against Apple in its most recent skirmish with Canadian intellectual property licensing company WiLan, finding that the tech giant owes the latter some $85 million in damages. WiLan has been involved in patent proceedings against Apple,...

Long-running proceedings against gaming behemoth Nintendo have concluded in the company’s favor after a US federal court found that the Kyoto-based company did not infringe motion-control patents held by iLife Technologies Inc, a Dallas tech company that has developed...

Whether the recent US-China trade deal will have the desired effect of ending the acrimonious trade war between the two countries remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the deal will have consequences for IP matters such as pharmaceutical patents, and...

The Saudi justice minister Walid Al-Samaani has announced that, from February, patent and copyright cases will be heard by commercial courts and/or committees established within those courts. Previously, such cases were heard by two committees, constituted to examine...

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain wearable monitoring devices manufactured by, amongst others, Fitbit and Garmin. The investigation follows a complaint filed by Philips North America, alleging violations...

Masimo, the California-based patient-monitoring technology manufacturer, has brought patent infringement proceedings against Apple in the US District Court, claiming that the multinational’s Apple Watch infringes upon ten of its patents. Further, Masimo alleges that...

Following a patent application last year, Airbnb is now using advanced AI-powered software gained from its acquisition of tech startup Trooly to run social media background checks on potentially “untrustworthy” bookers. The “trait-analyzing” software uses bespoke...

The European Patent Office (EPO) has, in a landmark decision, rejected two patent applications designating an artificial intelligence, rather than a human being, as the inventor. Both applications named the neural-net AI “DABUS” as the creator of, respectively, an...