AMEX Gift Cards Not Infringing

AMEX Gift Cards Not Infringing

Privacash, Inc. v. Am. Express Co., No. 2011-1027 (Aug. 11, 2011) [PDF]. Privacash sued AMEX alleging that AMEX gift cards infringed U.S. Patent 7,328,181. The ’181 provides a system with the objective of providing an anonymous and untraceable means for transacting purchases over the internet. AMEX cards are activated when purchased and a usable until the [...]

Claims on Manipulating Tools on Toolbar are Obvious

Claims on Manipulating Tools on Toolbar are Obvious

Odom v. Microsoft, 2011-1160 (Fed. Cir. May 4, 2011) [PDF]. Inventor Odom sued Microsoft alleging that Microsoft infringed Odom’s U.S. Patent 7,363,592 directed to a method for manipulating groups of tools in toolbars in a computer software application. The district court found certain claims the of ’592 patent invalid as obvious in view of U.S. Patent 6,057,836, stating that Odom had [...]

Positive for Comp.Sci. & Business Methods Pats: Federal Circuit Takes Broad Approach to Patentable Subject Matter

Positive for Comp.Sci. & Business Methods Pats: Federal Circuit Takes Broad Approach to Patentable Subject Matter

Classen Immunotherapies, Inc. v. BioGen IDEC, No. 2006-1634 (Fed Cir. Aug 31, 2011) [PDF]. In this case the court considered the scope of patentable subject matter under 35 USC 101. While the patents-in-suit are directed toward methods of medical treatment, the scope of patent able subject matter under section 101 is often considered in computer [...]

Aritcles on Chess-Like Computer Game Analogous Prior Art for Patent on Physical Chess-Like Board Game

Aritcles on Chess-Like Computer Game Analogous Prior Art for Patent on Physical Chess-Like Board Game

Innovention Toys, LLC v. MGA Entm’t, Inc., Dkt. No. 2010-1290 (Fed. Cir. March 21, 2011) [PDF]. Innovation sued MGA, Wal-Mart, and Toys “R” Us (collectively, MGA) for infringement of Innovation’s U.S. Patent No. 7,264,242. The ’242 patent is directed to a light-reflecting physical board game. MGA’s accused game is Laser Battle, a physical board game [...]

Shredding Parties to Destroy Evidence Could Cost Rambus $350+ Mil

Shredding Parties to Destroy Evidence Could Cost Rambus $350+ Mil

Hynix Semiconductor v. Rambus, 2009-1299 (Fed. Cir. May 13, 2011) [PDF] and Micron Technology v. Rambus, 2009-1263 (Fed. Cir. May 13, 2011) [PDF]. In both of the above cited cases Rambus sued makers of SDRAM and DDR SDRAM alleging infringement of a number of Rambus owned patents.  A key issue addressed by the Federal Circuit [...]

Claim Against Yahoo! Messager Requires Logic Operations on Same Message(s)

Claim Against Yahoo! Messager Requires Logic Operations on Same Message(s)

Creative Internet Adver. Corp. v. Yahoo!, Inc., 2010-1215 (Fed Cir. April 22, 2011) [PDF]. Creative sued Yahoo! claiming Yahoo!’s instant messaging product, Yahoo! Messenger infringed U.S. Patent No. 6,205,432. The ’432 patent is directed to a system where references to advertisements are inserted between end users of an instant messaging software. The claim at issue [...]

Goggle Bids $900M for 6000 of Nortel’s Patents in Bankruptcy Auction

Goggle has bid $900M for Nortel’s patent portfolio, which is at auction in Nortel’s bankruptcy. Goggle said on its blog that it hopes that if its bid is successful that the Nortel patents (1) will create a disincentive for other to sue Goggle and (2) will provide a degree of freedom to operate to its [...]

The Difference One Word Makes: “Creating a Database ‘of’ Properties” Required a Prepopulated Database

The Difference One Word Makes: “Creating a Database ‘of’ Properties” Required a Prepopulated Database

Move, Inc. v. Real Estate Alliance, Dkt No. 2010-1236 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 22, 2011) [PDF]. Move sued Real Estate Alliance (Real) seeking declaratory judgment that Real’s U.S. Patent No. 4,870,576, and 5,032,989 (the ’989 patent) were invalid. Real appealed the district courts construction of claim 1 of the ’989 patent.  Claim 1 provides: A method [...]

Software Patent News for February 18th

PTO Unveils Details of Fast-Track Patent Option for $4000 [Law.com] – "The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced plans to offer accelerated patent examinations at a $4,000 premium as one option in a "Three-Track" patent processing program under development. . . ."