latest intellectual property issues affecting high tech companies

Latest IP Issues Affecting High-Tech Companies

Ron Schoenbaum and Amy Chun

September 24, 2012

IP Impact – Silicon Valley

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Apple. v. Samsung

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Apple Design Pat. D604,305

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Apple Design Pat. D604,305

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Apple Design Pat. D593,087

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Apple’s “Slide to Unlock” patent

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Apple Pat. 5,946,647

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Apple’s “word suggestions” patent

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Apple v. Samsung

A Patent Procurement Perspective

A Litigation Perspective

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Divided Infringement

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Divided Infringement - Akamai & McKesson

Akamai v. Limelight / McKesson v. Epic Systems

Method Claims:

Multiple steps where the steps were performed by different entities

Types of Entities:

Server/Content Providers

Healthcare Providers/Patients

EXAMPLE

Method Claim

Entity A Entity B

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

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Divided Infringement - Direct Infringement

Requirements:

Infringer performs ALL of the steps

or

Agency relationship between the entities

Example:

No direct infringement by Entity A

No direct infringement by Entity B

EXAMPLE

Method Claim

Entity A Entity B

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

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Divided Infringement - Induced Infringement

Requirements:

Knowledge of the patent

Induced the performance of the steps

All steps must be performed (but not necessarily by a single entity)

Example:

Infringement if induced Entity A and Entity B to perform the 3 steps

Infringement by Entity A if induced Entity B to perform Step 2

EXAMPLE

Method Claim

Entity A Entity B

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

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Divided Infringement - Akamai & McKesson

A Litigation Perspective

A Patent Procurement Perspective

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Patent-Eligible Subject Matter

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Patent-Eligible Subject Matter

Noteworthy Decisions:

• Bilski

• Mayo v. Prometheus

• CLS Bank v. Alice

• Bancorp v. Sun Life

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Patent-Eligible Subject Matter

Where do we stand?

• Period of great uncertainty, especially for computer-implemented business methods.

• USPTO and courts apply different standards.

• Federal Circuit decisions very panel-dependent.

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Patent-Eligible Subject Matter

A Litigation Perspective

A Patent Procurement Perspective

Ron Schoenbaum and Amy Chun ron.schoenbaum@knobbe.com

amy.chun@knobbe.com