I could be completely off the mark here, but isn't there some SEC rule that prohibits insiders from buying or selling their shares within a certain time period prior to the issuance of an annual (or other quarterly?) report?

If so, this may be a reason why the current report was issued "early", i.e. earlier than what we've seen in past years.

Now that the report is issued, it can give more time for insiders to acquire shares in the open market without having to worry about a 'lockout' period (if one exists, which again, I'm not sure) before the Markman hearing finding is issued.

Since no one knows exactly when the finding will be issued, it was best that the (uneventful) results in the report be released earlier rather than later.

Again, if a restriction is imposed by the SEC.... which I'm not sure if it does in this case, but I seem to recall that such a rule does exist.