Chunk (noun): extra meaty information to sink your enamel into.
Bark (noun): peripheral noise price your consideration.
Completely satisfied Easter from the latest addition to the IPWatchdog/ Quinn household, Cocoa (proper) and her brother, Loki!!!!
This week in Different Barks & Bites: a Delaware district court docket throws out a $500 million patent infringement case in opposition to Sony; the U.S. Court docket of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) points a pair of precedential rulings; and Boeing launches a lawsuit in opposition to Virgin Galactic.
Bites
CAFC Affirms Ineligibility Holding Following Mandamus Order to Switch
On Friday, March 29, the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court’s finding that the asserted claims of three Bluebonnet Web Media Companies patents had been patent ineligible as summary. The court docket had beforehand granted Pandora Media’s petition for a writ of mandamus requesting switch from the Western District of Texas to the Northern District of California, and the California court docket then granted Pandora’s movement for judgment on the pleadings. The CAFC finally agreed with the district court docket that the claims had been directed to the summary thought of ‘customizing a product in line with a buyer’s likes and dislikes,’ utilized ‘to the considerably narrower context of computer-based media playlists,’” and, at Alice step two, lacked any ingenious idea.
Vidal Vacates PTAB Discovering for Patent Proprietor
On Thursday, March 28, U.S. Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) Workplace Director Kathi Vidal vacated a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision that upheld patent homeowners Alexander Soto and Walter Soto’s arguments for denial of establishment of Nokia’s petitions for inter partes evaluate of sure claims of three patents. The Board agreed with patent homeowners that considerably the identical artwork and arguments had been beforehand introduced to the Workplace. Nokia petitioned for Director Evaluate and Vidal discovered “the Board didn’t sufficiently clarify its findings” on that time.
Apple Sues Ex-Engineer for Leaking Confidential Info to the Press
On Thursday, March 28, it was first publicly reported that Apple filed a lawsuit in opposition to an engineer final week accusing the previous worker of leaking details about merchandise to a journalist. The previous worker allegedly despatched 1000’s of textual content messages to journalists about unreleased and unannounced Apple merchandise together with its new Imaginative and prescient Professional headset. Apple requested for a minimum of $25,000 in damages for the discharge of the confidential info to the press.
CAFC Rejects Enchantment to Improve Patent Infringement Damages in Buying and selling Interface Case
On Wednesday, March 27, the U.S. Court docket of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued a precedential opinion rejecting Buying and selling Applied sciences’ enchantment to extend the $6.6 million in patent infringement damages it was awarded in its case in opposition to IBG. The unique case concerned 4 patents, nevertheless, a district court docket dominated two of the patents had been directed at summary concepts and due to this fact not patentable. Buying and selling Applied sciences tried to argue that the district court docket erroneously dominated the patent unpatentable utilizing a CAFC non-precedential ruling as proof. Nonetheless, citing a Supreme Court docket case, the CAFC stated, “it’s clear that the Court docket in WesternGeco successfully acknowledged {that a} causation requirement is a part of the § 284 customary, which authorizes an award “sufficient to compensate for” the infringement.” Learn the complete IPWatchdog protection here.
Decide Throws Out $500 Million Patent Lawsuit In opposition to Sony
On Monday, March 25, a Delaware district court docket ruled that Sony didn’t infringe a patent from Real Enabling Know-how. Real was asking for $500 million in damages for alleged patent infringement within the PlayStation 3 and 4 and its controllers. Sony had known as the request for damages bloated, and the district court docket discovered that not one of the Sony merchandise infringed on Real’s since-expired patent.
Boeing Recordsdata Commerce Secrets and techniques Lawsuit In opposition to Virgin Galactic
On Friday, March 22, Boeing filed a lawsuit in opposition to Virgin Galactic accusing its competitor of “violating federal and state commerce secret legal guidelines by retaining, utilizing, and threatening additional use of commerce secrets and techniques” that belong to Boeing. In its criticism, Boeing claimed that Virgin Galactic acquired entry to 2 proprietary datasets topic to an settlement between the 2 corporations requiring Virgin to return or destroy the commerce secrets and techniques. Boeing was serving to Virgin Galactic design its newest mothership, a part of proprietor Richard Branson’s try and stimulate house tourism
Barks
CAFC Breathes Life Again Into Plastic Container Patent Case in Precedential Ruling
On Wednesday, March 27 the CAFC issued a precedential opinion vacating components of a district court docket’s ruling and remanding a patent infringement case between Inline Plastics and Lacerta Group for additional proceedings. The ruling grants Inline Plastics a second likelihood earlier than a district choose to argue earlier than the district court docket that its plastic containers had been too profitable for its patents to be thought of apparent. Learn the entire IPWatchdog protection here.
Kim Kardashian Accused of False Endorsement in Furnishings Knockoff Lawsuit
On Wednesday, March 27, a non-profit group devoted to the legacy of artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit accusing Kim Kardashian of utilizing knockoff Judd tables and chairs in a YouTube video. The lawsuit accuses the fact TV star together with of false endorsement and Clements Design the maker of the alleged knockoffs of trademark infringement, copyright infringement, unfair competitors, and false promoting.
EU Adopts New Regulation on Geographical Indicators
On Tuesday, March 26, the European Council, adopted a brand new regulation on geographical indicators (GIs) that goals to enhance protections for the agricultural sectors. The objective of the brand new regulation is to streamline the GI registration course of right into a single framework, making the method simpler for producers. The EUIPO wrote on the brand new regulation, “this reform is a part of the EU’s broader efforts to safeguard the distinctiveness and heritage of its agricultural produce, whereas additionally selling shopper belief and rural improvement.”
IBM and Chewy Conform to Dismiss Patent Infringement Lawsuit
On Monday, March 25, IBM and pet meals firm Chewy agreed to dismiss a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Chewy. Within the 2021 lawsuit, Chewy made the case that its targetted promoting didn’t infringe on IBM’s patents after the tech firm provided a $36 million deal to license its patents. A district choose dominated in favor of Chewy, nevertheless a CAFC revived the case in 2024.
This Week on Wall Road
Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years for Crypto Fraud
On Thursday, March 28, a New York district court docket sentenced co-founder of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried to 25 years in jail for defrauding clients and orchestrating a number of fraud schemes. Bankman-Fried reached dizzying heights within the burgeoning crypto world and was dubbed the Crypto King earlier than his cryptocurrency change collapsed and didn’t have funds to pay again clients. Lawyer Normal Merrick Garland commented on the case, “anybody who believes they will conceal their monetary crimes behind wealth and energy, or behind a shiny new factor they declare nobody else is sensible sufficient to grasp, ought to assume twice.” In whole, Bankman-Fried was convicted of defrauding clients of $8 billion which was partially used for political donations.
EU Opens Investigation into Apple, Alphabet, and Meta for DMA Noncompliance
On Monday, March 25, the European Union launched 5 non-compliance investigations into Apple, Alphabet, and Meta below its Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple and Alphabet, which owns Google, are each being investigated for not permitting apps to freely talk with its customers. Within the different three investigations, Apple is accused of not giving customers ample selection, Meta is being investigated for asking customers to pay to keep away from their knowledge being utilized in adverts, and Google’s potential choice for its providers in search engine outcomes can also be below scrutiny. “Ought to our investigation conclude that there’s lack of full compliance with the DMA, gatekeepers might face heavy fines,” stated Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Inside Market.
