Newsstand

The Federal Circuit on November 21, 2019, held that Nokia of America Corp. and Ciena Corp. didn’t infringe an optical beam switching patent after finding relevant claims of the patent invalid.

The US District Court for the Southern District of New York on November 13, 2019, held that a Pepsi ad which ran during the 2016 Super Bowl and featured Funk singer Janelle Monae didn’t infringe on an advertising agency’s pitch.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on November 19, 2019, affirmed a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision that determined that Game & Tech. Co.’s video game technology patent was invalid in light of prior art.

The US Patent and Trademark Office on November 20, 2019, published a new, consolidated edition of the Patent Trial Practice Guide that incorporates updates released in August 2018 and July 2019 into the original August 2012 Practice Guide.

The US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on November 8, 2019, held that Netflix Inc.'s hit show “Narcos” did not copy protectable portions of a Colombian journalist’s memoirs about her affair with Pablo Escobar.

The Federal Circuit on November 15, 2019, ruled that a district court erred when it found KPN N.V.'s data transmission systems patent unpatentable as an abstract idea.

The US Patent and Trademark Office has installed security enhancements to Private PAIR.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on November 13, 2019, reversed a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) decision that dismissed Texas-based Galperti Inc.’s attempt to cancel Italy-based Galperti Srl’s mark.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on November 13, 2019, reversed Columbia Sportswear’s win in a patent infringement case regarding its design patent for a waved-pattern design used in cold-weather products like gloves and coats.

The US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on November 7, 2019, reversed a preliminary injunction requiring Mrs. Fields Franchising LLC to continue a trademark licensing agreement allowing MFGPC the exclusive use of the “Mrs. Fields” trademark on popcorn products.

The US District Court for the Southern District of New York on November 6, 2019, held Imtiyaz Siddiqi, a man doing business as Global Telecommunications and Global Communications, liable for contributory and vicarious trademark infringement for his part in a scheme which defrauded hundreds of DISH Network subscribers.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on November 4, 2019, found that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) erred when it concluded that a “travel trailer” was unpatentable because it was anticipated by two cargo truck trailer patents.

On December 2, 2019, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will issue an updated version of the Federal Circuit Rules of Practice incorporating any adopted amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.

Federal Circuit holds that APJs exercise the type of authority that renders them principal officers of the United States who must be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on October 30, 2019, vacated and remanded a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision which found Liqwd Inc.’s keratin treatment patent invalid for obviousness, because evidence that L’Oreal USA, Inc., used Liqwd’s confidential information and copied Liqwd’s patented method should have been considered in determining whether the patent was valid.

Foley Hoag LLP Partner Barbara Fiacco has been named President of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA).

Donald R. Dunner, the renowned patent attorney and name partner at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, passed away on October 16, 2019, at the age of 88.

The US Patent & Trademark Office will host a Virtual Instructor Led Training (vILT) course titled “Unity of Invention” on December 10, 11, and 12, 2019.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board designated two decisions regarding design choice as informative.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on October 10, 2019, upheld a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) ruling which canceled Brazilian beverage company Cervejaria Petropolis SA’s FUSION trademark at the request of Ambev SA.