Patent Month In Review September

Abstract Idea Step in Patentable Subject Matter: Animated Lip Syncing Not Abstract, is Eligible

MCRO, Inc. v. Bandai Namco Games America, Inc., 2015-1080 (Fed. Cir. 2016)

“Here, the structure of the limited rules reflects a specific implementation not demonstrated as that which “any [animator] engaged in the search for [an automation process] would likely have utilized.” By incorporating the specific features of the rules as claim limitations, claim 1 is limited to a specific process for automatically animating characters using particular information and techniques and does not preempt approaches that use rules of a different structure or different techniques. See Morse. When looked at as a whole, claim 1 is directed to a patentable, technological improvement over the existing, manual 3-D animation techniques. The claim uses the limited rules in a process specifically designed to achieve an improved technological result in conventional industry practice. Alice. Claim 1 of the ’576 patent, therefore, is not directed to an abstract idea.”

‘576 patent claim 1 reads as follows:

1. A method for automatically animating lip synchronization and facial expression of three-dimensional characters comprising:
– obtaining a first set of rules that define output morph weight set stream as a function of phoneme sequence and time of said phoneme sequence
– obtaining a timed data file of phonemes having a plurality of sub-sequences
– generating an intermediate stream of output morph weight sets and a plurality of transition parameters between two adjacent morph weight sets by evaluating said plurality of sub-sequences against said first set of rules
– generating a final stream of output morph weight sets at a desired frame rate from said intermediate stream of output morph weight sets and said plurality of transition parameters;
– and applying said final stream of output morph weight sets to a sequence of animated characters to produce lip synchronization and facial expression control of said animated characters.

Declaratory Judgment: Even if you don’t identify a product, you might be sued for DJ

Asia Vital v. Asetek Danmark, 2015-1597 (Fed. Cir. 2016)

Asetek (1) rehashed the volatile relationship between the parties, saying that poor experiences with AVC [Asia Vital] in the past have “sown distrust in Asetek for AVC”; (2) stated that it “does not license its patents” generally and, more specifically, that it would not license them to AVC due to the previous conflicts between the parties; (3) accused AVC of “likely selling other infringing products in the United States”; (4) warned AVC that it “enforced its IP” and noted its “pending litigations against CoolIT and Cooler Master”— companies that AVC alleges sell products similar to the K7 and K9; and (5) emphasized that it has been allowed a patent in the European Union with claims similar to the asserted patents and also has similar claims pending in China…Moreover, AVC alleges that Asetek made threats to its customers regarding AVC’s infringement of the asserted patents.

The Federal Circuit concluded that “Such threats constitute affirmative actions by Asetek to impede and frustrate AVC’s attempts to meaningfully participate in the liquid cooling market and further support our conclusion that a substantial controversy existed between the parties.”

FTC Releases Patent Assertion Entity Report

The FTC issued a report on patent assertion entities (pejoratively called patent trolls by some). The FTC differentiated between litigation assertion entities (those that sue) and portfolio assertion entities (those that look to license and develop technologies). This may be a critical distinction if legislators take action against patent assertion entities.

USPTO Raising Patent Fees on January 1, 2017

Official Announcement

Patent fees will rise on January 1. Most fees will increase by 10%, with some fees for reexaminations rising by more than 20-30%.

Patent Complaint Must Identify Infringement with Element-by-Element Specificity

Lyda v. CBS Corp., 2015-1923 (Fed. Cir. 2016)

Amended Complaint must plausibly allege that Defendants exercise the requisite “direction or control” over the performance of the claim steps, such that performance of every step is attributable to Defendants. The Amended Complaint alleges that CBS Interactive controls certain independent contractors who in turn direct and control the “participation” of unnamed third persons to send votes on either their own or borrowed cell phones. Mr. Lyda does not set forth any factual allegations in support of his assertion that CBS Interactive directed or controlled the independent contractors….There are thus no allegations in the Amended Complaint that can form the basis of a reasonable inference that each claim step was performed by or should be attributed to Defendants. The Amended Complaint fails to plausibly plead sufficient facts to ground a joint infringement claim under this court’s Akamai decision and does not satisfy the Iqbal/Twombly pleading standard.

Supreme Court Denies All Patentable Subject Matter Petitions For Upcoming Term

Patently-O Story

If you have questions, contact me. 
If you want IdeaEsq delivered to your inbox, sign up for the daily or monthly newsletter.