Posts Tagged: "CBM2015-00161"

Seeking to push this issue to a head sooner rather than later, Technology Trading International, the owner of the ‘304 patent, has recently filed a Petition for Writ of Mandamus with the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. As the mandamus petition explains, the ‘304 patent has been the subject of serial CBM petitions. They are challenging the institution of this CBM because the ‘304 patent is clearly not a business method patent.

In CBM2015-00161, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) at the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) recently instituted a Covered Business Method (CBM) review on a non-business method patent with a clear and unambiguous technological aspect. This institution decision is in direct contravention of the statute, which is by its express terms prevents CBM review from anything with a technical aspect. In short, only covered business methods, which are financial related business method patents without a technological aspect, are supposed to be subject to this special form of post grant review. Even more troubling, the patent in question has been found to be directed to technological improvements by both the European Patent Office and the United States Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Nevertheless, the PTAB still instituted a CBM.