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MMP Portfolio(TM) Continues to be Strengthened by Reexaminations

Last update: 2/16/2011 4:51:00 PM

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Patriot Scientific Corporation (PTSC), today announced the latest in a remarkable string of successes in defeating the nearly four-year-old serial attack on the MMP Portfolio. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Reexamination Certificate for the US'890 patent, and a Notice of Intent to Issue Reexamination Certificate for the US'749 patent.

The conclusion of the US'749 reexam is actually a victory over three merged reexamination challenges filed by ARM, Fish & Richardson, and HTC, in which the USPTO was asked to consider over 800 prior art references. Likewise, there were over 600 prior art references before the USPTO when it sustained the US'890.

These new successes extend a string of reexamination victories for the MMP patents, which include:

NOV 2010 - The USPTO denied a Reexamination Request for US'336 anonymously filed by Chen Yoshimura LLP, ending the sixth reexamination request on US'336.

NOV 2010 - The USPTO issued a Reexamination Certificate for US'336 anonymously filed by Fish and Richardson, ending the fourth reexamination request on US'336.

DEC 2009 - The USPTO issued a Reexamination Certificate for US'336 filed by NEC, Toshiba, and the Public Patent Foundation, ending the first, second and third reexaminations on US'336.

JUL 2009 - The USPTO denied a Reexamination Request for US'336 filed by HTC, ending the fifth reexamination request on US'336.

JUL 2009 - The USPTO issued a Reexamination Certificate for US'584 "Multiple Instruction Fetch" over the reexaminations filed by litigants NEC and Toshiba.

JAN 2009 - The German Patent Court confirms the validity of EP '730 rejecting a "nullity action" brought by Deutsch Telecom.

Of the sixteen reexamination attacks to date on MMP Portfolio patents, twelve have been concluded successfully in favor of the MMP Portfolio, and four matters remain ongoing.

Earlier this month, MMP Portfolio co-owners The TPL Group and Patriot Scientific announced a substantial increase in working capital to the MMP Portfolio licensing and litigation programs in response to the growing confidence in the fundamental patent portfolio.

"We have eagerly awaited the successful validation of the MMP Portfolio through the reexamination process, and appreciate the fine work of the Alliacense team," stated Carlton Johnson, chairman of the executive committee of Patriot's Board of Directors.

"This remarkable string of victories exponentially increases the risks to those users of the technology who have not yet chosen to join the ranks of the over 80 MMP Portfolio Licensees around the world," according to Dan Leckrone, Chairman of The TPL Group which is likewise a co-owner of the MMP Portfolio, adding that "As Congress again considers potential changes to the US patent system, abuses of the System by serial infringers ought to be near the top of the agenda."