Patent Reform - Fish Presentation

7/31/2019 Patent Reform - Fish Presentation

1/39

TheLeahy SmithAmericaInventsAct

StevenCarlson

MichaelRosenJohnPegram

Kathi

Lutton

September8,2011


2/39

Overviewof

H.R.1249

WhatsNOT

in

the

bill

Firsttofile

PTOproceedings

Derivationproceedings

Thirdpartysubmissions

Postgrantreview

Interpartesreview

Supplementalexamination

Litigation

Marking

Bestmodedefense

Willfulness/adviceof

counsel

Prioruserdefense

ProsecutionfeesandPTOfunding

Effective

dates

Otherprovisions 2


3/39

WhatsNOTintheBill


4/39

PriorProposalsAbsentFromBillCurrentbillomitsprovisions:

Limitingdamagestothespecificcontributionoverthepriorart

Establishinggatekeeperroleforcourtondamagestheories

Restrictingvenueinpatentinfringementcases

Establishing

sequenced

trials

for

liability

and

damages

AllowinginterlocutoryappealofMarkmanrulings

Imposingstandardsforpleadingwillfulness

Barringenhanceddamagesifaclosecaseonliability

Conditioningfirst

to

file

adoption

on

Europe

and

Japan

adoptingUSstylegraceperiod

Prohibitingmentionincourtoffactofpostgrantreviewasevidenceofinvalidity

4


5/39

FirsttoFile


6/39

Firstto

File

(Sec.

3,

102)

6

102(a)(1)theclaimedinventionwas

patented,describedinaprintedpublication,

orinpublicuse,onsale,orotherwise

availableto

the

public

before

the

effective

filingdateoftheclaimedinvention

ProposedLaw:

(a)theinventionwasknownorusedbyothersin

thiscountry,

or

patented

or

described

in

aprinted

publicationinthisoraforeigncountry,beforethe

inventionthereofbytheapplicantforpatent

(b)theinventionwaspatentedordescribedina

printedpublicationinthisoraforeigncountryorin

publicuseoronsaleinthiscountry,morethanone

yearpriortothedateoftheapplicationforpatent

intheUnitedStates

(c)hehasabandonedtheinvention

(d)[Foreign

patenting

12

months

before

US

filing]

(e)[nextslide]

(f)Hedidnothimselfinventthesubjectmatter

soughttobepatented

(g)[Prior

invention

by

other

who

did

not

abandon,

suppress,orconceal]

ExistingLaw NovelUnless:

102(a)(2)[nextslide]

Eliminated

Derivationproceedings


7/39

Firstto

File

(contd)

7

102(a)(2)theclaimedinventionwas

describedinapatentissuedundersection151,

orinanapplicationforpatentpublishedor

deemedpublished

under

section

122(b),

in

whichthepatentorapplication,asthecase

maybe,namesanotherinventorandwas

effectivelyfiledbeforetheeffectivefilingdate

oftheclaimedinvention.

ProposedLaw:

102(e)theinventionwasdescribedin (1)an

applicationforpatent,publishedunder

section122(b),byanotherfiledintheUnited

Statesbefore

the

invention

by

the

applicant

forpatentor(2)apatentgrantedonan

applicationforpatentbyanotherfiledinthe

UnitedStatesbeforetheinventionbythe

applicantforpatent

ExistingLaw

Novel

Unless:


8/39

ExceptionsToPriorArt:

One

year

grace

period

for

inventor

or

joint

inventor

Appliestoalldisclosures Openquestionwhetherdisclosuresincludesalesandpublicuses

8

102(b)(1)Adisclosuremade1yearorlessbeforetheeffectivefilingdateofaclaimedinventionshallnotbepriorarttotheclaimedinventionundersubsection(a)(1)if

(A)thedisclosurewasmadebytheinventororjointinventororbyanotherwhoobtainedthesubjectmatterdiscloseddirectlyorindirectlyfromtheinventororajointinventor;or(B)thesubjectmatterdisclosedhad,beforesuchdisclosure,beenpubliclydisclosedbytheinventororajointinventororanotherwhoobtainedthesubjectmatterdiscloseddirectlyorindirectlyfromtheinventororajointinventor.


9/39

ExceptionsToPriorArt:Patentapplicationdisclosuresexemptaspriorartunder102(a)(2)if

Subjectmatterobtainedfrominventororjointinventor,or

ifcommonownershiporunderjointresearchagreement

9

102(b)(2)Adisclosureshallnotbepriorarttoaclaimedinventionunder

subsection

(a)(2)

if

(A)thesubjectmatterdisclosedwasobtaineddirectlyorindirectlyfromtheinventororajointinventor;(B)thesubjectmatterdisclosedhad,beforesuchsubjectmatterwaseffectivelyfiledundersubsection(a)(2),beenpubliclydisclosedbytheinventororajoint

inventoror

another

who

obtained

the

subject

matter

disclosed

directly

or

indirectlyfromtheinventororajointinventor;or(C)thesubjectmatterdisclosedandtheclaimedinvention,notlaterthantheeffectivefilingdateoftheclaimedinvention,wereownedbythesamepersonorsubjecttoanobligationofassignmenttothesameperson.


10/39

PriorArt

Rules

ComparisontoEuropeAspect UnitedStates Europe

Priority FirsttoFile FirsttoFile

GracePeriod Oneyeargraceperiodforinventorsowndisclosures

Nograceperiod(verylimitedexceptions)

ConfidentialSales Confidentialsalesarepriorart

Confidentialsalesarenotpriorart

PriorUse Ifprioruseispublic,itispriorartifnoinventor/joint

inventorexception;

otherwise,notpriorart

Ifprioruseispublic,itispriorart;ifconfidential,

notprior

art

JointResearchAgreements

Priorartexceptionsforworkbycollaboratorsinjointresearchagreements

Ifunderconfidentialagreement,notpriorart

10


11/39

CoPending

Applications

As

102(a)(2)

Prior

ArtinUSandEurope

11

Xsapplication

Ysapplication

UnitedStates(now)

UnitedStates(reform)

Europe

IfXanticipatesY: XinvalidatesY XinvalidatesY,butnotifcommonlyownedasofeffectivefilingdate

XinvalidatesY

IfX

is

only

an

obviousnessreferenceagainstY:

Xis

obviousness

art

againstY(unless103(c)exceptionappliesforcommonlyowned

inventions)

Xis

obviousness

art

againstY,butnotifcommonlyownedasofeffectivefilingdate

Xdoes

not

invalidateY

publication


12/39

StrategicConsiderations

RacetothePatentOfficetobefirsttofile?

Tensionwith

Section

112,

to

provide

sufficiently

enablingdescriptionandtosupportfullbreadthofclaims

Patentterm:

Commonlyowned

patents

will

be

exempt

as

102(a)(2)priorart

Considerwhethertofilefollowonapplicationsas

standalones

(rather

than

cons/CIPs)

to

maximize

patentterm

Priorartsearching

Howtoidentifyworldwidesales,publicuses?12


13/39

PTOProceedings


14/39

PTOProceedings

Overview

Proceeding Threshold PriorArt Estoppel?

Derivation

Proceedings

Claimedinventionderivedfrom

another

N/A N/A

Thirdpartypreissuancesubmissions

N/A Patents/printedpubs N/A

Post

grant

review

(9monthwindow) More

likely

than

not

that

at

least

1

claimunpatentable Any

ground

Raised

or

could

haveraised

Interpartesreview(afterP.G.R.)

Reasonablelikelihoodthatpetitionerwouldprevailonatleast1claim

Patents/printedpubs Raisedorcouldhaveraised

Expartereexam(unchanged)

Substantialnewquestionofpatentability

Patents/printedpubs None(althoughcourtsmaydiffer)

Supplemental

Examination

Substantialnewquestionof

patentability

Anyinformation N/A

14


15/39

DerivationProceedings

Interferenceproceedings:

Transition: continuestoapplytoclaimshavingeffective

filingdate

before

law

change

(Sec

3,

146(n)(2))

Derivationproceedings(Sec3,135,146,291):

Requiresthat

claim

was

derived

from

other

inventor

PTOproceedingwithinoneyearofclaimspublication

Districtcourtactionwithinoneyearofissuance

15


16/39

ThirdPartyPreIssuanceSubmissions(Sec.8)

Duringprosecution,anythirdpartymaysubmit:

Anypatentapplication,patent,orprintedpublication

Concisestatementofrelevanceandfeerequired

16

122(e)Anythirdpartymaysubmitforconsiderationandinclusioninthe

recordof

apatent

application,

any

patent,

published

patent

application,

or

otherprintedpublicationofpotentialrelevancetotheexaminationoftheapplication,ifsuchsubmissionismadeinwritingbeforetheearlierof(A)thedateanoticeofallowanceundersection151isgivenormailedintheapplicationforpatent;or

(B)the

later

of

(i)6monthsafterthedateonwhichtheapplicationforpatentisfirstpublishedundersection122bytheOffice,or(ii)thedateofthefirstrejectionundersection132ofanyclaimbytheexaminerduringtheexaminationoftheapplicationforpatent


17/39

PostGrant

Review

(Sec.

6,

321

329)

Who?Anyperson,otherthanthepatentowner Mustidentifyallrealpartiesininterest

When?Within

9months

of

issuance

or

reissue

of

patent

Art?Anygroundofinvalidity(notjustpatentsorpublications)

Threshold?Morelikelythannotthatatleastonechallengedclaimisunpatentable,ornovelquestionoflaw

Phasein: PTOmaylimitnumberofPGRsfor4years

Proceedings: Patenteemayrespond(deadlinetobedetermined)

PTOissuespreliminaryresponsew/in3monthsofpatenteestatement,orlapseofpatenteeswindow

Completionw/in

one

year

after

instituting

PGR

(+

six

month

extension

forgoodcause)

Discoveryallowable

Patenteemaycomment,amendclaims

Maybesettled

17


18/39

PostGrant

Review

(contd)

Relationshiptootherproceedings

NoPGR

if

challenger

already

filed

DJ

action

Ifpatenteesuesw/inthreemonthsofpatentgrant,courtmaynotstaymotionforP.I.inviewofPGR

PTOmayconsolidatemultiplePGRs

Estoppel:

ChallengercannotreassertartthatwasraisedorreasonablycouldhaveraisedinPGRin:

AnotherPTO

proceeding

Districtcourt/ITC

Interveningrightsapplyfornew,amendedclaims

18


19/39

PostGrant

Review:

Comparison

to

Europe

Aspect U.S.PostGrantReview EUOppositions

CommencementWindow

9monthsfromissuance 9monthsfromissuance

Estoppel Challengerestoppedfromraisingartindistrictcourtthatwasraisedorcouldhavebeen

raisedin

PGR

Noestoppel

Duration 1year(+6monthextensionforgoodcause)

Typically23years

Discovery Somediscoverymaybeallowed Nodiscovery

Consolidationif

multiplechallengersDirector

may

consolidate

Consolidated

Settlement Canbesettled OppositionproceedingsmaybecontinuedbytheEPOonitsownmotion

19


20/39

InterPartesReview(Sec.6,311319):ComparisontoCurrentInterPartesReexamAspect InterPartesReexam

(now)

InterPartesReview(reform)Tribunal CentralReexaminationUnit PatentTrialandAppealsBoard

Timingforfiling Anytime AfterthelaterofclosingofPGR

window(or

termination

of

PGR)

Threshold Substantialnewquestionofpatentability

Reasonablelikelihoodthatpetitionerwouldprevailonatleast1claim

Conclusion

Open

ended

Within

1

year

after

institution

Priorart Patentsandprintedpubs Patentsandprintedpubs

Appeal ToBPAI,thenFedCircuit DirectlytoFedCircuit

BarredifD.Ct.

proceedings

Nobar BarredifalreadyfiledDJsuit;or

barredif

>1yr

after

being

sued

20


21/39

SupplementalExamination(Sec.12,257)

Forthepatenteesbenefit

Inoculatespatentagainstpotentialinequitableconduct

Patenteemaysubmitanyinformation

Ifsubstantial

new

question

of

patentability,

PTO

reexaminespatent

Apatentshallnotbeheldunenforceablebasedon

information

considered

in

supplemental

examination

Exceptions: Inapplicabletocureexistingallegations

FraudstillreferabletoAttorneyGeneral

21


22/39

LitigationReforms


23/39

Marking(Sec.16,287,292)

False

marking

claims

restricted

Forprivatesuits,requirementtoshowcompetitiveinjury

Damageslimitedtotheamountadequateto

compensatefor

the

injury

Noviolationsformarkingwithanexpiredpatent

Virtualmarkingallowed

ProvideInternet

address

where

full

listing

provided

Botheffectiveimmediatelyforpendinglitigations

23


24/39

BestModeDefense(Sec.15,282)

Best

mode

remains

a

requirement

for

patentability

BUT,thebestmodelitigationdefensewillbeeliminated

24

failuretodisclosethebestmodeshallnotbeabasisonwhichanyclaimofapatentmaybecanceledorheldinvalidorotherwiseunenforceable


25/39

Willfulness/Inducement:

AdviceofCounsel(Sec.17,298) Neither

the

failure

to

obtain

advice

of

counsel,

nor

the

failuretopresentsuchadvice,maybeusedtoprovewillfulnessorinducement:

25

Thefailure

of

an

infringer

to

obtain

the

advice

of

counsel

with

respecttoanyallegedlyinfringedpatent,orthefailureoftheinfringertopresentsuchadvicetothecourtorjury,maynotbeusedtoprovethattheaccusedinfringerwillfullyinfringedthepatentorthattheinfringerintendedtoinduceinfringementof

thepatent.


26/39

PriorUserDefense(Sec.5,273) Priorcommercialuseofthesubjectmatterofaclaimedinventionisapersonaldefensetoinfringement Defenseisexpandedfrompriorlawtoincludesubjectmatterconsistingofaprocess,orconsistingofamachine,

manufacture,

or

composition

of

matter

used

in

a

manufacturingorothercommercialprocess

Existinglawonlyprovidesdefensetomethodclaims

PriorcommercialusehastobeintheUnitedStates

Priorcommercial

use

has

to

be

at

least

one

year

before

the

earlieroftheeffectivefilingdateoftheclaimedinvention,orthedateonwhichtheclaimedinventionwasdisclosedtothepublic

26


27/39

PriorUserDefense(Sec.5,273)(a)InGeneralApersonshallbeentitledtoadefenseundersection

282(b)with

respect

to

subject

matter

consisting

of

aprocess,

or

consisting

ofamachine,manufacture,orcompositionofmatterusedinamanufacturingorothercommercialprocess,thatwouldotherwiseinfringeaclaimedinventionbeingassertedagainstthepersonif

(1)suchperson,actingingoodfaith,commerciallyusedthe

subject

matter

in

the

United

States,

either

in

connection

with

an

internal

commercialuse

or

an

actual

arms

length

sale

or

other

arms

length

commercialtransferofausefulendresultofsuchcommercialuse;and(2)suchcommercialuseoccurredatleast1yearbeforetheearlier

ofeither

(A)

the

effective

filing

date

of

the

claimed

invention;

or

(B)thedateonwhichtheclaimedinventionwasdisclosedtothepublicinamannerthatqualifiedfortheexceptionfrompriorartundersection102(b).

27


28/39

JoinderofParties(Sec.19,299) Partiesthatareaccusedinfringersmaybejoinedinone

actionas

defendants,

or

have

their

actions

consolidated

for

trial,onlyif:(1) anyrighttoreliefisassertedagainstthepartiesjointly,

severally,orinthealternativewithrespecttoorarising

out

of

the

same

transaction,

occurrence,

or

series

of

transactionsor

occurrences

relating

to

the

making,

using,

importingintotheUnitedStates,offeringforsale,orsellingofthesameaccusedproductorprocess;and

(2) questionsoffactcommontoalldefendantsor

counterclaimdefendants

will

arise

in

the

action

Mereallegationsthatmultipleaccusedinfringerseachinfringedthepatentisinsufficientforjoinder

28


29/39

ProsecutionFeesandPTOFunding


30/39

ProsecutionFees(Sec.11,41)

The

PTO

will

be

granted

fee

setting

authority

Asaninterimmeasure,immediateincreasesinprosecutionfees

EstablishesPrioritizedExaminationfeeof$4800

Definessmallandmicroentitycategorieshavingreducedfees

Smallentitiesfeesreducedby50%

Microentitiesfeesreducedby75%

30


31/39

PTOFunding(Sec.22,42(c)) ThePTOsrevenuesarelesslikelytobesubjecttodiversion.

ExcessrevenueswillbedepositedinthePatentandTrademarkFeeReserveFund,forbenefitofPTO

31


32/39

EffectiveDatesofProvisions


33/39

EffectiveDates: ImmediateChanges

Increases

in

all

PTO

fees

(10

days

after

enactment)

Microentitycategoryestablished

Expandedprioruserdefense,forpatentsissuedonorafterenactmentdate

Bestmodedefenseremovedforallcasescommencedonorafterenactmentdate

Markingreforms;requirementforcompetitiveinjuryin

falsemarking

cases

applies

to

all

pending

cases

Joinderreformsapplyforallcasescommencedonorafterenactmentdate

33


34/39

EffectiveDates:

+One

Year

Oneyearfromenactmentisdefaulttimeforapplication

of

all

provisions,

unless

otherwise

specified

Interpartesreviewbegins,forpatentsissuedbefore,on,

or

after

enactment

date

Postgrantreviewbegins;PTOtoissueguidelines

Thirdpartypreissuancesubmissionsaccepted,applicabletoanypatentapplicationfiledbefore,on,orafter

1year

period

Supplementalexaminationbegins,forpatentsissuedbefore,on,orafter1yearperiod

34


35/39

EffectiveDates:

+18

Months

Startofderivationproceedings;beginningoftheendofinterferences Appliestopatentswitheffectivefilingdate18monthsfromenactment

35


36/39

OtherProvisions


37/39

OtherProvisions

of

Bill

Currentbillalsocontainsprovisions:

Modifyingrequirements

regarding

inventor

oath

EstablishingPatentTrialandAppealBoard(PTAB) AuthorizingDirectortosetfees Authorizesprioritizedexamination,with$4800specialfee Providingsetasideforfeescollectedinexcessofannualappropriation ChangingvenueforsuitsagainstPatentOfficefromD.D.C.toE.D.Va. Deemstaxstrategiestobeindistinctfromthepriorart Barringissuanceofpatentswithclaimsdirectedtoorencompassingahumanorganism

Denies

state

court

jurisdiction

over

patents,

plant

variety,

copyright

actions;vestsallappellatejurisdictiononpatentorplantvarietyclaimsinCAFC(addressingHolmesGroup)

Orderingvariousstudiesofeffectofpatentsystemoninnovation EstablishingPTOsatelliteoffices

37


38/39

Thankyou


39/39

Questions?

39

StevenCarlsonF&RSiliconValley

[email protected]

KathiKellyLuttonF&RSiliconValley

[email protected]

MichaelRosenF&RSouthernCalifornia

[email protected]

JohnPegramF&RNewYork

[email protected]

Documents

Patent Reform - Fish Presentation