Patent Law in Nutshell Nutshells 3rd edition by Randall Rader, Benjamin Christoff ISBN 168328531X 978-1683285311

Chapter 1 Foundations of Patent Law 1

I. Foundations of Patent Law 1

II. Economics (Incentive to Invent) 2

III. History: Antidote to Trade Secrets (Incentive to Disclose) 5

IV. History: Technology Transfer 8

V. Natural Rights (Entitlement Theory) 9

VI. Patents and Public Utility Theory 11

VII. Conclusion 12

Chapter 2 Patent Acquisition 13

I. The United States Patent and Trademark Office 13

A. Examination 13

B. Historical Development 17

C. Organization 24

II. Prosecution Procedures 24

A. Application Types 25

1. Provisional Applications 25

2. Non-Provisional Applications 26

3. Continuing Applications 27

B. Publication Rule 31

C. Interferences & Derivation Proceedings 32

D. Petition and Appeal Rights 33

III. Post-Grant Procedures 35

A. Certificates of Correction 36

B. Reissue 38

1. Error Correction 38

2. Intervening Rights 41

3. Recapture 42

C. Reexamination, Supplemental Examination & Inter Partes Review 43

1. Ex Parte Reexamination 44

2. Supplemental Examination 46

3. Inter Partes Reexamination & Inter Partes Review 46

D. Post-Grant Review 47

IV. Conclusion: The World’s Most Liberal System 48

Chapter 3 Patent Eligibility 51

I. Introduction 51

A. The Constitution & Laws of Nature 52

B. The Language of § 101 54

II. Processes 56

A. Process Versus Product Claims 56

B. Computer-Related Inventions 57

C. Tax Strategies 68

D. Methods of Medical Treatment 68

E. Compositions of Matter and Biotechnology 71

III. TRIPS 74

Chapter 4 Utility 77

I. Introduction 77

A. § 101 77

B. Historical Development of the Doctrine 78

II. Three Types of Utility 80

A. Chemistry and Biotechnology 83

B. Biotech Guidelines 85

III. Industrial Application 87

Chapter 5 Anticipation 89

I. Introduction 89

II. Identification of Prior Art Under the U.S. First-to-Invent Regime 91

A. Novelty Under the First-to-Invent Regime 96

B. Secret Prior Art Under the First-to- Invent Regime 100

III. Identification of Prior Art Under the U.S. First-Inventor-to-File Regime 102

A. Novelty Under the First-Inventor-to- File Regime 103

B. Secret Prior Art Under the First- Inventor-to-File Regime 104

IV. Anticipation 106

A. Each and Every Element 107

B. Enablement Requirement 110

C. Inherency 110

D. Anticipation vs. Obviousness 113

Chapter 6 Statutory Bars 115

I. Introduction 115

II. Public Use Under the First-to-Invent Regime 119

A. Definitions 119

B. Activities of the Applicant 120

1. Informing 121

2. Non-Informing 122

3. Secret 124

C. Activities of Third Parties 125

1. Informing 125

2. Non-Informing 126

3. Secret 127

III. On Sale Bar Under the First-to-Invent Regime 128

A. Definitions 128

B. Two-Part Test 129

1. Commercial Offer for Sale 129

2. Ready for Patenting 130

IV. Experimental Use Negation Under the First-to-Invent Regime 132

A. Exception Versus Negation 132

B. Sales of the Invention 134

V. Patents and Printed Publications 135

VI. Other Statutory Bars Under the First-to- Invent Regime 136

A. Abandonment 136

B. Delay 138

Chapter 7 Novelty: Prior Invention 139

I. Introduction 139

II. Prior Invention Under First-to-Invent’s § 102(a) 141

A. “Known or Used” 141

B. First-to-Invent’s § 102(a) Before the Patent and Trademark Office 144

III. Priority Under First-to-Invent’s § 102(g) 146

A. § 102(g) 146

B. Statutory Framework 148

1. Interferences 149

2. Conception 151

3. Reduction to Practice 153

4. Diligence 155

5. Abandoned, Suppressed, or Concealed 157

6. The Second Paragraph of First-to-Invent’s § 102(g) 158

7. Examples 159

IV. Prior Invention Under Pre-AIA § 102(e) & Post-AIA § 102(a)(2) 161

V. Derivation Under First-to-Invent’s § 102(f) 163

VI. Derivation Proceedings Under First- Inventor-to-File’s § 135 164

VII. Exceptions to First-Inventor-to-File’s Novelty Requirement 165

Chapter 8 Non-Obviousness 167

I. Introduction 167

II. History of Patent Law’s “Crown Jewel” 173

III. Prior Art 177

A. § 102 178

1. Analogous Art 179

2. Joint Research Exception 181

B. Prior Art by Admission 183

IV. The Supreme Court Trilogy 183

V. The Federal Circuit 188

A. Motivation or Suggestion to Combine 188

B. KSR 191

C. Scrutiny of Hindsight 194

D. Objective Criteria (Secondary Considerations) 196

E. Obviousness “Traps” 202

1. Standard of Proof 203

2. Manner of Invention Irrelevant 204

3. Obvious to Try 205

4. Patentability vs. Validity 208

F. Chemistry and Biotechnology 209

1. Chemistry 210

2. Biotechnology 210

VI. Non-Obviousness (Inventive Step) in Foreign Patent Systems 211

Chapter 9 Adequate Disclosure 213

I. Introduction 213

II. Enablement 216

A. Purpose 216

B. Test 217

1. At the Time of Filing 218

2. Scope of Disclosure 220

3. Without Undue Experimentation 224

C. Relationship to Utility 226

III. Written Description 228

A. Purpose 228

B. “Possession” of the Claimed Subject Matter 230

C. Written Description Unchained 232

IV. Best Mode 235

A. Purpose 235

B. Two-Part Test 235

1. Inventor’s Subjective Belief 236

2. Concealment 237

C. Unnecessary Vestige? 240

Chapter 10 Issues in Patent Acquisition 243

I. Introduction 243

II. Inventorship 244

A. Test for Inventorship 244

B. Consequences of Incorrect Inventorship 247

III. Inequitable Conduct 249

A. Purpose 249

B. Test for Inequitable Conduct 252

1. Materiality 254

2. Intent 255

C. International Treatment 258

IV. Double Patenting 258

A. Purpose 258

B. Two Types 259

1. Same Invention or Statutory 259

2. “Obviousness-Type” or Non- Statutory 260

C. Terminal Disclaimer 265

V. International Prosecution 266

VI. The Bayh-Dole Act 266

Chapter 11 The Patent Trial and Appeal Board 271

I. Introduction 271

II. PTAB Proceedings 272

A. Post-Grant Review 272

B. Inter Partes Review 275

C. Covered Business Method Review 279

D. Derivation Proceedings 279

E. Review of Examiner Decisions 280

III. Constitutionality of IPR Proceedings 280

IV. Claim Construction 284

V. Estoppel 289

VI. Stays of District Court Litigation 292

Chapter 12 Claims 295

I. Introduction 295

A. Central Legal Element of a Patent 295

B. Historical Development 296

C. § 112 298

II. Parts of a Claim 300

A. One-Sentence Rule 301

B. Preamble 302

C. Transitional Phrase 303

D. Body 307

E. Independent and Dependent Claims 309

III. Special Claim Formats 311

A. Means-Plus-Function 312

1. § 112, ¶ 6 (Now § 112, ¶ (f)) 312

2. Practical Significance 315

3. Equivalents Under § 112 and the Doctrine of Equivalents 320

4. International Treatment 325

B. Product-by-Process 325

1. Purpose 325

2. International Treatment 328

C. Jepson 329

D. Markush 330

IV. Definiteness 332

A. Test 332

B. Relative Terminology & Words of Approximation 336

Chapter 13 Claim Construction 339

I. Introduction 339

II. Claim Construction 342

A. Challenges of Claim Construction 343

B. Claim Construction in the Federal Circuit Era: Markman 346

C. The Process at the Trial Level 353

D. Sources of Claim Meaning 354

1. The Claim Language 356

2. The Specification 360

3. The Prosecution History 366

4. Extrinsic Evidence 369

E. Guidelines for Claim Construction 375

F. Practical Problems 377

1. Preamble 378

2. Construing Claims in Light of the Specification Versus Impermissibly Importing a Limitation from the Specification 380

3. Construing Claims to the Extent Necessary Versus Construing Claims in Light of the Accused Device 382

4. Evolving Claim Construction 383

G. Claim Construction at the Patent Office 385

Chapter 14 Infringement 387

I. Introduction 387

II. Literal Infringement 388

III. The Doctrine of Equivalents—Non-Textual Infringement 389

A. Purpose 389

B. Test(s) 393

C. Limitations 394

1. Prosecution History Estoppel 395

2. All-Elements Rule 398

3. Prior Art 400

4. Public Dedication 402

D. Means-Plus-Function Claims 403

E. Reverse Doctrine of Equivalents 404

IV. Indirect Infringement 405

A. Inducement of Infringement 407

B. Contributory Infringement 409

V. “Joint” or “Divided” Infringement 410

VI. Territorial Scope 413

A. Exporting Components of a Patented Combination 415

B. Importation of Goods Manufactured by a Patented Process 418

VII. International Trade Commission 419

VIII.Exceptions to Infringement 424

A. Implied Licenses, First Sale & Exhaustion, and Repair & Reconstruction 424

B. Experimental Use 429

IX. “Artificial” Infringement Under § 271(e)(2) 432

X. Infringement Abroad 433

Chapter 15 Additional Defenses 437

I. Introduction 437

II. Laches and Estoppel 439

A. Laches 440

B. Equitable Estoppel 442

C. Prosecution Laches 444

D. Licensee Estoppel 446

E. Assignor Estoppel 448

III. Shop Rights 449

IV. Temporary Presence in the United States 451

V. First Inventor Defense 453

VI. Patent Misuse 454

Chapter 16 Remedies 459

I. Injunctions 460

II. Damages 466

A. Lost Profits 466

B. Price Erosion 473

C. Reasonable Royalty 475

D. The Entire Market Value Rule 479

E. Marking 483

III. Willful Infringement: Enhanced Damages and Attorney Fees 486

A. Attorney Fees 487

B. Enhanced Damages 488

IV. International Remedies 492

Chapter 17 International Patent Law 495

I. Major International Agreements 495

A. Paris Convention 496

B. Patent Cooperation Treaty 502

C. Regional Agreements 505

1. European Patent Convention and the European Union 505

2. TRIPS and Bilateral Free Trade Agreements 507

II. International Enforcement 510

Chapter 18 Design Patents 511

I. Introduction 511

II. Claiming a Design 512

III. Validity 514

A. Obviousness 515

B. Functionality 517

IV. Infringement 519

V. Damages 524

Chapter 19 The Hatch-Waxman Act 527

I. Introduction 527

II. The ANDA Process 529

III. The Safe Harbor Under § 271(e)(1) 535

IV. The Orange Book 537

V. Declaratory Judgment Jurisdiction 540

VI. Authorized Generics 543

Index 547