Supreme Court Issues Major Patent Ruling

Widely viewed as the most important patent case in 40 years, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday decided to loosen a legal standard considered key to patent law. The ruling could make it easier to invalidate some patents on the basis of an obviousness test, a boon for software and technology companies.The Supreme Court decision reversed the Federal Circuit Court’s decision on the Teleflex, Inc. v. KSR International case. The landmark case raised a question as to the proper standard for patentability under Section 103 of the Patent Act. Generally speaking, the understanding has been that if the combination of prior art — that which was known or used prior to the claimed invention — would be considered obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, then the claimed invention would typically be invalidated.

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Add comment May 1st, 2007

Microsoft Wins in AT&T Patent Case

In the second blow of a one-two patent-ruling punch, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday overturned a ruling that found Microsoft guilty of patent infringement on copies of Windows sold overseas.Supreme Court justices decided in Microsoft’s favor by a vote of 7-1, rejecting AT&T’s arguments that Microsoft software code that infringes on its patents could be deemed a “component” of a computer.

The decision was handed down the same day as the Teleflex v. KSR International case, which legal experts said could make it easier to invalidate some patents on the basis of an obviousness test. The Supreme Court’s ruling marks the second blow against the Federal Circuit’s patent case rulings in one day. Most of the technology industry is celebrating both rulings.

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Add comment May 1st, 2007