May 24, 2012

Petitions Practice for SNQ Findings in Inter Partes Reexaminations

A prior post emphasized the importance of a well crafted petition in cases where the examiner determines that there is no SNQ in an inter partes reexamination request.  Recall that the BPAI determined it had no jurisdiction to review of a determination that there was no SNQ (for certain claims) in inter partes reexamination control no. 95/001,089 (Belkin International v Optimumpath 95 001089).

An example of a successful petition (3PR petition here) can be found in inter partes reexamination control no. 95/001,461.  On December 20, 2011, the Third Party Requester petitioned the order finding certain proposed SNQs cumulative to issues raised in the ex parte prosecution of the patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,213,762).  The Director of the Central Reexamination Unit granted the petition on January 21, 2011(granted petition).

But note that the Patent Owner filed a “Patent Owner’s Petition to Vacate Director’s Decision” on February 14, 2011.  And the Third Party Requester filed an “Opposition Under 37 CFR 1.182 and 1.183 to Patent Owner’s Petition to Vacate Director’s Decision” on March 11, 2011.  So the Central Reexamination Unit has more petitions on this issue to consider.  Stay tuned!

© 2012 Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A. All Rights Reserved.

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Timothy Bianchi is a patent attorney with bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering. He advises businesses in domestic and international patenting, reexamination, opinions, licensing and enforcement. Tim's patent experience includes electronics, software, medical devices, telecommunications, e-commerce, digital electronics, digital signal processing, computer security, embedded processor designs, hearing aids, network hardware and software, wireless signaling, and RFID. He represents a variety of large and small companies. Tim has engineering experience from...

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