Patent Bar Supplements Flashcards
Under the AIA, what are the 2 new procedures for attacking the validity of a patent after issuance and is applicable to patents issued on or after September 16, 2012?
Inter Partes Review
Post-Grant Review
What is Inter Partes Review replacing?
Inter Partes Reexamination
Who can file for these reviews?
any person who is not the owner of a patent may file with the PO
these procedures are instituted by the 3rd parties seeking to challenge the validity of a patent
When can a petition for inter partes review be filed?
it may only be filed after the time window for filing or conducting a post-grant review has closed
petition for inter partes review can only be filed after the later of :
9 months after the grant of a patent OR
the date of termination of any post-grant review of the patent
When can a petition for post-grant review be filed?
it can only be filed within 9 months after grant of the patent
For inter partes review, what grounds may be used to challenge the validity of the patent?
limited to issues raised under Section 102 or 103 and only on the basis of prior art consisting of patents or printed publications
For post-grant review, what grounds may be used to challenge the validity of the patent?
any ground affecting the validity of a patent including Section 102, 103, as well as other grounds such as Section 101 and 112
only ground that CANNOT be used is failure to comply with the best mode requirement
What is required to institute a post-grant review or inter partes review?
a person (other than the patent owner) must first file a petition accompanied by payment of fee established by the Director
the petition must identify all real parties in interest
the petitioner must provide copies of any of the documents submitted with the petition to the patent owner or, if applicable, the designated representative of the patent owner
the petition must identify, in writing and with particularity, each claim challenged, the grounds on which the challenge to each claim is based, and the evidence that supports the grounds for the challenge to each claim, including:
copies of patents and printed publications that the petitioner relies upon in support of the petition and
affidavits or declarations of supporting evidence and opinions, if the petitioner relies on expert opinions
all petitions are made available to the public for inspection as soon as practicable
After a third party files a petition for inter partes or post-grant review, what right does the patent owner have?
The patent owner has the right to file a preliminary response to the petition within 3 months, that sets forth the reasons why no review should be instituted based upon the failure of the petition to met any of the statutory requirements
What happens if an inter partes review or post-grant review is granted?
then the review will proceed to a trial-like proceeding before the Board during which both the patent owner and the petitioner may request discovery to help prove their position
Under AIA, who will promulgate regulations establishing and implementing a transitional program for the review of business method patents?
The Director
What is Transitional Program?
it is very similar to a post-grant review and will have the same standards and procedures and applies to covered business method patents
What can a petitioner do with one or more claims of a patent that raises ground under normal post-grant review such as failure to comply with section 101, 102, 103, or 112?
The petitioner may request or cancel those claims as unpatentable
Is the determination of the Director to institute a business method patent review appealable?
No, the decision is final and NOT appealable
What is the effective date of transitional program?
September 16, 2012 and it applies to any covered business method patent issued at any time
A person may not file a petition for the transitional program with respect to a business method patent unless the person or person’s real party-in-interest or privy has been ___________
charged with infringement under the patent
When can petition for transitional program be filed?
It can only be field after 9 months window for filing a post-grant review has closed
Does the post-grant review also review for all patents including business method patents?
Yes
Which patents qualify for Transitional Program?
it’s available for all patents, whenever filed, provided that the patent is drawn to a covered business method
Under AIA, what is a covered business method (CMB) patent?
It’s a patent that claims a method or corresponding apparatus for performing data processing or other operations used in the practice, administration, or management of a financial product or service, excluding patents for “technological inventions”
Does the AIA specify what a patent for a technological invention cover?
No, therefore the PO has promulgated a rule for deciding which patents are directed to technological invention (therefore won’t qualify for the transitional program)
The PO will take case-by-case basis and consider whether the claimed subject matter as a whole recites a technological feature that is novel and unobvious over the prior art, and solves a technical problem using a technical solution
Under AIA, what does the covered business review program and Transitional Program end?
covered business review program will expire after 8 years from the effective date of the provision, therefore, the PO will NOT accept new petitions for the transitional program filed on or after September 16, 2020
What are the differences between post-grant review and transitional program?
patent eligibility - only covered business method patents are eligible for transitional program, while all subject mater can undergo post-grant review (but only those patents issued after September 16, 2012)
timing for filing a petition for review - a covered business method review may only be requested after the period in which a petition for post-grant review has expired (9 or more months after grant of the patent)
estoppel - the petitioner is estopped from raising any ground that the petitioner raised or reasonably could have raised, during a post-grant review. for transitional program, covered business method patents, estoppel is limited to issues actually raised during the proceeding
Why were derivation proceedings created under AIA?
it was created to ensure that the first person to file the application is actually a true inventor
if a dispute arises between 2 applicants on who is a true inventor, it will be resolved using a derivation proceeding conducted by the Board
What does “the first publication” mean?
it means either a patent or an application publication under 35 USC 122(b), including a publication of an international application designating the US as provided by 35 USC 374
When should petition for a derivation proceeding be filed?
it must be filed within 1 year period beginning on the date of the first publication of a claim to an invention that is the same or substantially the same as the earlier application’s claim to the allegedly derived invention
What does the petition for a derivation proceeding show?
that the petitioner has at least 1 claim that is the same or substantially the same as the invention disclosed to the respondent
that the inventor from whom the claimed invention was allegedly derived did NOT authorize the filing of the earlier application claiming the derived invention
why the respondent’s claimed invention is the same or substantially the same as the invention disclosed to the respondent
What did the Section 3(i) of AIA amend?
It amended 35 USC 135 to provide for derivation proceeding and to eliminate interference practice as to applications and patents having an EFD on or after March 16, 2013
What is a difference between interference and derivation proceeding?
derivation will be conducted in a single phase without the use of a “count”
What is necessary for the inventor to provoke a derivation proceeding?
inventor is allowed to make a copy of an alleged deriver’s application, and make any necessary changes to reflect accurately what the inventor invented, and provoke a derivation proceeding
What is 35 USC 135(a)?
an applicant for patent may file a petition to institute a derivation proceeding in the office
the petition must state with particularly the basis for finding that a named inventor in the earlier application derived the claimed invention from an inventor named in the petitioner’s application and without authorization, filed the earlier application
the petition must be filed within 1 year of the first publication by the applicant of a claim to the same or substantially the same invention, made under oath, and be supported by substantial evidence
What is 35 USC 135(b)?
once a derivation proceeding is instituted, the Board will determine whether the named inventor of the earlier application filed it without authorization
What is 35 USC 135(c)?
the Board may defer action on a petition for derivation proceeding for up to 3 months after a patent is issued from the earlier application that includes a claim
What is 35 USC 135(d)?
a decision that is adverse to claims in an application constitutes the final refusal of the claims by the Office, while a decision adverse to claims in a patent constitutes cancellation of the claims, if no appeal or other review of the decision has been taken or had
What is 35 USC 135(e)?
the parties involved in the derivation proceeding may terminate the proceeding by filing a written statement reflecting the agreement of the parties as to the correct inventors of the claimed invention in dispute
What is 35 USC 135(f)?
the parties involved can determine the contest, or any aspect thereof, by arbitration within a time specified by the Director, and provides that the arbitration is governed by the provision of title 9, to the extent that title is not inconsistent with 35 USC 135
Under 35 USC 6(b), who has the jurisdiction to conduct derivation proceedings, inter partes reviews, post-grant reviews, transitional program for covered business method reviews?
the Board
Which proceedings are not “involved” patents and are treated separately except as ordered by the Board?
ex parte reexamination and inter partes reexamination
What are the exceptions to require all parties to be part of communications?
ministerial communications with support staff
conference calls or hearings in which opposing counsel declines to participate
informing the Board in one proceeding of the existence or status of a related Board proceeding
reference to a pending case in support of a general proposition
Even if a party refuses to participate, can the Board permit a hearing or conference call to take place?
Yes
Who does a party represented by counsel must designate?
both a lead and back-up counsel
Is power of attorney required to be filed with the designation of counsel?
Yes, unless he is already a counsel of record
What does pro hac vice mean?
for this occasion only
Does the Board recognize counsel pro hac vice?
the Board may recognize counsel pro hac vice during a proceeding upon a showing of good cause, and subject to the requirement that lead counsel is a registered practitioner, and potential other considerations
What is the default manner in filing documents with the Board?
electronic filing
the Board will publish electronic submission information online
paper filing may be used where appropriate, but must be accompanied by a motion explaining the need for non-electronic filing
What are the mandatory notices that the parties to a proceeding are required to provide?
identification of the real parties-in-interest
related matters
service information
Who is considered “real party-in-interest”?
the party “who according to the governing substantive law, is entitled to enforce the right.”
Although there is no right being enforced, the “real party-in-interest” may be the petitioner, and/or it may be the party or parties at whose behest the petition has been filed
What is “privity”?
It refers to a relationship between the party to be estopped and the unsuccessful party in the prior litigation which is sufficiently close so as to justify application of the doctrine of collateral estoppel
How to distinguish between “real party-in-interest” and “privy”?
Whether the non-party exercised or could have exercised control over a party’s participation in a proceeding, but there’s no clear line to determine the necessary quantity or degree of participation to qualify as a “real party-in-interest” or “privy”
What are considered related matters?
any other judicial or administrative matter that would affect or be affected by the decision in the proceeding
judicial matters include actions involving the patent in federal court
administrative matters include every application and patent claiming or which may claim the benefit of the priority of the filing date of the party’s involved patent or application as well as any ex parte or inter partes reexamination for an involved patent
What is identification of service information?
parties are required to identify service information to allow for efficient communication and to maintain a proper correspondence address in the record
What is included in public availability?
the record of a proceeding including documents and things will be made publicly available, unless a party files a motion to seal that is then granted by the Board
What are some examples of confidential information?
provides protective orders for trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information
What is Motion to Seal?
a party may file a motion to seal document or thing to be seals concurrent with the filing of the document or thing.
document or thing will be provisionally sealed on receipt of the motion and remain so pending the outcome of the decision on motion
a party may file a motion to seal where the motion contains proposed protective orders such as default protective order in Appendix B
What does Appendix B provide?
it provides guidelines on proposing a protective order in a motion to seal, including Standing Protective Order
Can a petitioner filing confidential information with a petition file a motion to seal with a proposed protective order as to the confidential information?
Yes.
But, a petitioner filing information under seal with a petition is NOT required to serve the confidential information
What happens when a petitioner is seeking entry of the default protective order in Appendix B or alternative protective order?
the patent owner will be given access to the confidential information prior to institution-of-the-trial by agreeing to the terms of a default order:
by agreeing to the terms of the protective order requested by the petitioner
by agreeing to the terms of a protective order that the parties file jointly or
by obtaining entry of a protective order
What is the purpose of rules concerning confidential information in a petition?
the rule seeks to streamline the process of seeking protective orders prior to the institution of the review while balancing the need to protect confidential information against an opponent’s ability to access information used to challenge the opponent’s claims
When are confidential information subject to a protective order ordinarily become public?
It would ordinarily become public 45 days after denial of a petition to institute a trial or 45 days after final judgment in a trial
Does a party seeking to maintain the confidentiality of information have the option to expunge the information from the record prior to the information becoming public?
Yes, they may file a motion to expunge the information from the record prior to the information becoming public
However, the rule encourages redacting sensitive information where possible, rather than seeking to seal entire documents