Re: The patent game is not monopoly money, Hmmmmm
in response to
by
posted on
Dec 26, 2007 07:17AM
Unless the J's, thought the district court, the PTO reexamination and the appeals court, were going to "invalidate" all 3 patents, it would have been silly to continue the fight.
Even if they were able get out of paying infringement damages based on "a hypothetical" idea that all patents were modified to meet the PTO reexamination, they would still lose (see (A) below),
(A) "An accused infringer has the absolute right to use or sell a product that was made, used, or purchased before the grant of the reissue patent as long as this activity does not infringe a claim of the reissue patent that was in the original patent.” BIC Leisure Prods. v. Windsurfing Int’l"
IMO, TPL has a strategy that did not include a big court case at this time, I think they want all the PTO re-exams all settled and locked up strong in their favor before they go after the next big target. I think they will drop the appeals court mission because yesterday's claim construction is worthless on a soon to be modified 584 patent. I would also like to see them go up against the largest companies last.
As part of the strategy, IMO they gave the J's a real sweet deal to end it now!
So, regarding the '148 and '336, the Defendants would have been silly to continue the fight because of the likelihood of there being a claim in any amended patent which was also in the original.
By the same argument, you believe that not one claim of the '584 will remain intact subsequent to USPTO re-examination and amended claims, despite the fact that it is only a Markman construction that is being appealed(I would respectfully suggest that you ascertain which claims of the '584 are subject to re-examination, as well. Hint, it isn't all of them).
You finally suggest that a "sweet deal" was given to the Defendants on the basis that you belive the Appeal will be dropped on the most significant claim construction of the '584, but an amended '584 will be granted by the USPTO(again, if but a single claim remains in the amemded '584, there are infringing, past, present, and future). Finally, I think you'll find that the Appeals process works much faster than a re-examination, and should be resolved before any final USPTO decision.
I'm sure, therefore, that you will not be surprised when I say that I disagree with your assessment.
Be well