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Search CAFC Patent Decision Summaries

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was established in 1982, and has jurisdiction over final decisions involving claims that arise under the U.S. Patent Laws This site summarizes precedential decisions of the CAFC beginning January 1, 2006.

You can find a particular matter by case name, or review the brief captions which highlight the key holding of each case. This site also allows you to search for cases that address a particular issue by clicking on a keyword, a party, or by the judge that was an author to the opinion. To obtain a copy of the slip opinion for any case, clink on the link to the Federal Circuit website which is contained in the summary under "Case Link."

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Patent Case Summaries

March 7, 2008	Pfizer, Inc. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. 35 U.S.C. 121's safe harbor provision preventing use of divisional patent applications filed before the issueance of the patent does not apply to continuation-in-part patent applications.
February 11, 2008	International Rectifier v. IXYS Prosecution history estoppel precluded a doctrine of equivalents claim relied upon at trial even where the purpose of an amendment was to broaden the scope of the claim.
January 29, 2008	TriMed, Inc. v. Stryker Corp. Presence of the word "means" and the articulation of a function does not by itself invoke Section 112 paragraph 6 analysis.
November 16, 2007	Z4 Technologies, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp. Substantial evidence supported jury finding that anti-piracy software patents were valid and infringed, notwithstanding modified claim construction.
November 7, 2007	Zenon Environmental, Inc. v. United States Filter Corp. Patent failed to incorporate by reference with sufficient particularity to one reasonably skilled in the art all claimed elements of the invention in order for a continuity of disclosure to exist in the family chain entitling the patent to its family member's earlier filing date.
October 12, 2007	In re Translogic Technology, Inc. The USPTO's Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences upheld the examiner's rejection of U.S. Patent. No. 5,162,666 in a reexamination processing because the patent would have been obvious at the time of the invention and the Federal Circuit affirmed this decision.
October 12, 2007	AllVoice Computing PLC v. Nuance Communications, Inc. Patent found invalid because of indefiniteness and failure to disclose best mode.
October 12, 2007	Schwarz Pharma, Inc. v. Paddock Labs., Inc. Infringement under the doctrine of equivalents was precluded by prosecution history estoppel.
October 11, 2007	Abbott Laboratories v. Torpharm, Inc. District court properly entertained contempt proceedings but erred by entering a finding of contempt.
October 10, 2007	Nilssen, et al. v. Osram Sylvania, Inc., et al.. Federal Circuit affirmed District Court holding that 15 patents that had been issued to Plaintiff patent holder were unenforceable due to inequitable conduct.