Jury’s $20 Million Patent Verdict Against Google’s Nest Thermostats Upheld

EcoFactor, Inc. v. Google LLC Authored by: Jeremy J. Gustrowsky A recent decision from the Federal Circuit has affirmed a jury’s $20 million verdict against Google, finding that its Nest smart thermostats infringed EcoFactor, Inc.’s U.S. Patent No. 8,738,327. The…

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Amazon Patent Takedown Triggers Jurisdiction Over Out-of-State Patent Owner

SnapRays v. Lighting Def. Grp Authored by: Jeremy J. Gustrowsky A recent decision highlights how using Amazon’s patent enforcement tools can land a patent owner in court far from home. In this case, Lighting Defense Group (LDG), an Arizona company,…

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Patent Owners Keep Standing Even When Lenders Hold Some Rights

Intell. Tech. LLC v. Zebra Techs. Corp Authored by: Jeremy J. Gustrowsky A recent decision clarifies an important issue for patent owners who have granted security interests in their patents to lenders. The case involved Intellectual Tech LLC, which owned…

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University’s Alzheimer’s Mouse Patent Blocked by Government License Under Bayh-Dole Act

Univ. of S. Fla. Bd. of Trs. v. United States Authored by: Jeremy J. Gustrowsky A recent Federal Circuit decision highlights how the Bayh-Dole Act can give the federal government broad rights to use patented inventions developed with federal funding—even…

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Universal Electronics Prevails in Patent Dispute Over Smart TV Control Technology

Roku, Inc. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n Authored by: Jeremy J. Gustrowsky A recent decision from the Federal Circuit highlights the importance of clear patent ownership and substantial domestic investment when enforcing intellectual property rights at the International Trade Commission (ITC).…

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IP Gotchas: Patenting Neural Networks

The demand for improvements in autonomous technology is accelerating. Memory and processing power has continued to grow exponentially cheaper, but the volume of data to process has exploded making it nearly impossible for traditional data analysis techniques to provide timely…

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Debunking the "Poor Man's Patent Myth"

Myth: If I write down my invention and mail it to myself through the USPS, I will receive some level of patent protection on my invention. (In some versions of the myth, I will receive protection only if I do…

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USPTO Increasing Patent Fees for 2018

The USPTO has issued a final rule, “Setting and Adjusting Patent Fees during Fiscal Year 2017” to set or adjust certain patent fees. Notably, the rule increases a large number of fees including filing fees, search fees, examination fees, and…

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The Story of the Coca-Cola Bottle

Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the design patent covering the classic Coca-Cola bottle. Developed in Terre Haute, Indiana, by the Root Glass Company, the classic Coca-Cola bottle was developed to provide a distinctive package for the popular drink. Versions…

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July 2015 Patent Case Update

The Supreme Court addressed a number of patent law topics this year, including the standard of review for patent claim construction (Teva Pharmaceuticals v. Sandoz), royalties on expired patents (Kimble v. Marvel Enterprises), and defenses to claims of induced infringement…

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Circuit Split re: Patent Term Adjustment

35 U.S.C. § 154(b) allows for extension of patent term for design and utility patents filed after May 29, 2000. The statute provides for patent term adjustment for delays caused by the USPTO. “A Term” adjustments result from untimely responses…

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Indiana Farmer Loses U.S. Supreme Court Seed Patent Case

In a recent case arising out of Indiana, the United States Supreme Court addressed the patent exhaustion doctrine in the context of seed patents. Monsanto sued Indiana farmer Vernon Bowman alleging infringement of its patents covering its Roundup Ready seed.…

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