Federal Circuit: PTAB Must Adequately Support Obviousness Determinations

The Supreme Court in KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007), unequivocally required that any analysis leading to a conclusion of obviousness “should be made explicit” to facilitate subsequent review. According to KSR, an Examiner should establish an “apparent reason” to modify the reference or to combine reference teachings. However, all too often, findings of obviousness are made that are not supported by the record. In a number of recent decisions, the Federal Circuit has overturned obviousness determinations by the Patent Trial and Appeals Board (referred to as “PTAB” hereinafter) for lack of adequate support. These…

Read More

Quinn IP Law Ranked #5 Patent Firm in US

April 11, 2017 Quinn IP Law has been recognized as the #5 US Patent Firm by Juristat.  Quinn received its ranking for patent performance in Technology Centers 3600 and 3700 which include Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing and Medical Devices/Processes. The ranking, based on objective measures of performance including number of applications filed, allowance rate, average number of office actions before allowance, and average time to allowance, is testament to Quinn’s focus on innovation, quality and efficiency in meeting their clients’ business objectives and driving marketplace value. Says Chris Quinn, Quinn IP Law founder: “Along with our…

Read More